oh, crap
by Missy-sins
Summary: an AU fic. Elizabeth has finally found a guy that drives her crazy, but there is a small problem: she has no idea how to seduce him. The solution is Meliodas, he needs to pass a test at all costs, and in return he can help her make anyone jealous even himself. [This story does not belong to me its just being finished and adapted by me. rights go to madredhead]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

# _**Elizabeth**_

He doesn't know I exist.

For the umpteenth time in forty-five minutes, I glance at Arthur Pendragon. he's so precious that my throat shrinks. The truth is that i should probably use another adjective; my guy friends insist that men do not like being called "precious."

But, my god there is no other way to describe his hard features and expressive violet eyes. Today he's wearing a baseball cap, but I know what's underneath: thick, reddish hair; when looking at it you can see that it is silky to the touch and it makes you want to run your fingers through it.

In the five years that have passed since the rape, my heart has beat for only two guys.

The first one left me and the other doesn't even know it

On the podium of the auditorium, Professor Vivian begins what I have started to call the "Disappointment Speech". It is the third in six weeks.

Surprise, surprise, 70 percent of the class has got a 4.5 or less in the partial exam.

And me? I've gotten a 10. And I would be lying if I said that the huge "10" and in red pen in a circle at the top of my exam hasn't caught me completely by surprise. All I did was scribble an endless amount of bullshit to try to fill the pages.

Supposedly, Philosophical Ethics was a throw away. The teacher who used to teach the subject did stupid test-type exams and a final "exam" that consisted of an essay in which you had to develop how you would react to a given moral dilemma.

But two weeks before the beginning of the semester, Professor Zaratras collapsed from a heart attack and died. I heard that his cleaning lady found him on the floor of his bathroom; naked. Poor man.

Luckily - and yes, that's absolute sarcasm - the super teacher, Vivian came to take over Zaratras class. she's new at liones University, that kind of teacher who wants you to connect concepts and get involved with the material. If all this was a movie, she would be the typical young and ambitious teacher who shows up at a neighbourhood school in a city, inspires the 'bad' students and suddenly everyone stops being assholes and picks up their pencils and in the final credits announces how all the kids were admitted to Harvard or some similar shit. Oscar to the best immediate actress for Hilary Swank.

But this is not a movie, and that means that the only thing Vivian has inspired in her students is hate. And it seems that she really isn't able to understand why no one excels in her class.

Here's a clue: because your questions are of the kind one might include in a blissful post-graduate thesis.

"I am willing to put a recovery test for those who have failed or have taken a 6 or less." The teacher's nose wrinkles, as if she couldn't understand how something like that is necessary.

The word you just used ... 'willing?' Ha. Yeah sure. I've heard that a lot of students have complained to their guardians about her attitude and I suspect that the higher ups are forcing the professors to give everyone a second chance.

"For those of you who choose to re-sit, the average will be made with the two marks. If you do worse the second time, I'll keep the first mark" she concludes.

"I can not believe you got a 10," Jericho whispers.

She looks so dejected that I feel a twinge of compassion. It's not that Jericho and I are best friends or anything like that, but we've sat together since September, so it is reasonable that we have come to know each other. She studies Medicine and I know that she comes from an academically outstanding family that will punish her without compassion if she finds out about her grade in the partial exam.

"I can't believe it either," I whisper. "Seriously. Read my answers They're just ramblings of meaningless things."

"can I look, please?" She sounds anxious. "I'm curious to see what this tyrant considers material worthy of a 10."

"I'll scan it and send it to you tonight," I promise.

A second after Vivian dismisses us, the auditorium rumbles with noises as "let's get out of here once and for all." The laptops slam shut, the notebooks slide in the backpacks and the students drag their chairs.

Arthur Pendragon stands near the door to talk to someone and my gaze stays fixed on him like a missile. he's beautiful.

Have I already said how precious he is?

The palms of my hands begin to sweat as I observe his beautiful profile. He is new at liones this year, but I am not sure which university he transferred from and, although hes been quick to become the star receiver of the football team, he's not like the other athletes of this university. He doesn't go strutting around the place with one of those "I am God's gift to this world" smiles, nor does he appear with a new girl hanging on his arm every day. I've seen him laugh and joke with his teammates, but there is an intense energy of intelligence that makes me think that there is a hidden depth in him. This makes me even more desperate to meet him.

I don't usually look at athletes, but something about this guy in particular has made me the biggest sentimental fool in the universe.

"You're looking at him again."

The mocking voice of Jericho generates blush on my cheeks. I've been caught drooling over Arthur on more than one occasion, and he's one of the few people I've admitted to being amazing.

My roommate, Diane, knows it too, but my other friends? Not a clue. Most of them study Music or Dramatic Art, so I guess that makes us the artistic gang. Or something like that. Apart from Diane, who has had a steady relationship with a guy from one of the fraternities here since the first year, my friends are too afraid to go after the 'elite' of liones university . Normally I don't join in gossip - I like to think I'm above such things - but ... let's be honest: most of the popular kids are total assholes.

This is the case of the famous Meliodas, the other star of sports in the class. The man walks around as if he owned the place. Well, the truth is that he more or less does. All he has to do is snap his fingers and a girl appears at his side. Or jumps on his lap. Or puts her tongue down his throat.

However, today he doesn't look like the "god like" man of Campus. Almost everyone has left, including prof. Vivian, but Meliodas remains in his seat, with his fists clenched tightly grasping the edges of the exam papers.

I guess he also failed, but I don't feel much compassion for the kid. liones University is known for two things: hockey and football, which is not surprising given that britannia is home to the vamps and the demons. The athletes who play in liones almost always end up in professional teams, and during their years here they receive everything on a silver platter, including their marks as long as the dean doesn't find out.

So yes, this may make me seem a bit of a bitch, but it gives me a certain feeling of triumph to know that our beloved prof. Vivian has failed the captain of our hockey team and league champion along with everyone else.

"Do you want to drink something at the Coffee Hut?" Asks Jericho as she picks up her books.

"I can't. I have practice in twenty minutes. I get up, but I don't follow her to the door. "Go ahead, I have to check the schedule before I leave. I don't remember when my next tutoring session is."

Another 'advantage' of being in Vivian's class is that, in addition to our weekly class, we are required to attend two tutorials for half an hour a week. The good thing is that Dana, the assistant teacher, is the one in charge of the subject and has all the qualities that Vivian lacks. Like, for example, a sense of humor.

"Okay," Jericho says. "See you later."

"bye" I say after her.

Hearing the sound of my voice, Arthur stops at the door and turns his head.

Oh God.

It's impossible to stop the blush that appears on my cheeks. It's the first time we've made eye contact and I don't know how to react. Do i say hello? Do I wave? smile?

In the end, I decide on a little nod. There. Cool and casual dip of the head, worthy of a sophisticated third-year student.

My heart skips a beat when one side of his mouth rises in a weak smile. He waves back to me and leaves.

I stare at the empty door. My pulse is galloping because, fuck, after six weeks breathing the same air in this oppressive auditorium, he's finally realised my presence.

I would like to be brave enough to go after him. Maybe invite him to a coffee. Or to dinner. Or a brunch ... Wait, do people our age go to brunch?

But my feet are stuck to the bright linoleum floor.

Because I'm a coward. Yes, a total coward, a fucking chicken. I'm horrified to think that he might say no, but I am even more worried that he will say yes.

When I started college, I was fine. My fears, solidly overcome, my guard, low. I was ready to go out with guys again, and I did. I went out with several, but apart from my ex, none of them made my body shudder like Arthur Pendragon does, and that scares me.

Step by step.

That's it Step by step. That was always my psychologist's favorite tip and I can't deny that his strategy has helped me a lot. Dr. drole always advised me to focus on small victories.

So ... today's a victory ... I nodded to Arthur and he smiled at me. In the next class, i might smile back. And in the next, maybe I'll ask him out to coffee, dinner or even brunch.

I take a deep breath as I head towards the hall, clinging to that feeling of victory, however tiny it may be.

Step by step.

# _**Meliodas**_

I've failed.

Fuck, I've failed!

For 15 years, Professor Zaratras has gave athletes outstanding grades.

And the year i enroll in his class? Zaratra's ticker stops beating and I'm stuck with that Vivian whore.

It's official: that woman is my archenemy. Just to see her horrid calligraphy, which fills every available centimetre of the margins of my partial exam, makes me want to become the Incredible Hulk and break the fucking desk into pieces.

I do ok in most of my other classes, but for now, I have a 0 in Philosophical Ethics. Combined with the 6.5 of History of Spain, my average has fallen to below average.

I need a above average to play hockey.

Normally I don't have any problem keeping my grades up. Despite what many people believe, I'm not the typical idiot athlete. But hey, I don't care if people think I am. Especially, the girls. I guess it gives them the idea of throwing themselves at the muscular caveman who only serves one purpose, but since I'm not looking for anything serious, those casual tumbles with chicks that only want my cock is perfect for me. It gives me more time to focus on hockey.

But there WONT be anymore hockey if I can't raise this mark. The worst thing about liones university? That our dean demands excellence. Academic and sports While other schools are more lenient with athletes, liones has a zero tolerance policy.

Disgusting Vivian. When I spoke with her before class to see how i could improve the mark, she told me in that nasal voice that i had to attend the tutorials and that I should meet with the study group. I already do both. So i can't do anything, unless I hire some nerd to put on a mask of my face and do the make-up exam for me, I'm screwed.

My frustration manifests itself in the form of an audible wail and out of the corner of my eye I see someone who flinches in surprise.

I also flinch, because I thought I was stewing in my misery alone. But the girl sitting in the last row has stayed after the bell and is now walking down to Vivian's desk.

Mandy?

Margaret?

I can't remember her name. Probably because I've never bothered to ask what it is. However, she is gorgeous. Much prettier than i originally thought

Pretty face, silver hair, great body. Fuck, how have I never looked at that body before?

Well I'm looking now. Skinny jeans cling to a round, curvy ass that seems to shout "grab me," and a V-neck sweater clings to stunning tits. I don't have time to admire more of those attractive attributes, because she catches me looking at her and a look of clear disapproval appears on her face.

"All good?" she asks with a pointed look.

I utter a moan in a low voice. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.

A silver eyebrow rises in my direction.

"Excuse me, don't you know how to talk?"

I make a ball with my exam and throw my chair back.

"I said everything is fine."

"Fine then" she shrugs and continues on her way.

When she picks up the clipboard where our tutoring program is, I throw my liones university hockey jacket on; then I put my pathetic exam in my backpack and close the zipper.

The silver-haired girl goes to walk out into the hall. Marie? Molly? The M sounds right to me, but the rest is a mystery. She has her exam in her hand, but I don't look at it, because I guess she has failed like everyone else.

I let her go out before me into the hall. I suppose I could say it's the gentleman in me, but I would be lying. I want to take a look at her ass again, because it's a super hot ass and now that I've seen it once I wouldn't mind checking it out again. I follow her until the exit.

Just when we get to the door, she stumbles on absolutely nothing and the books she carries in her hands fall loudly to the ground.

"Shit. How clumsy am i?"

she lets herself fall on her knees and I do the same, because unlike my previous statement, I can be a gentleman when I want, and the gentlemanly thing now is to help her collect her books.

"Oh, it's not necessary. I can." she insists.

But my hand has already touched her partial exam and my mouth opens wide when I see the grade.

"What the fuck. How did you get a 10?" I ask.

she responds with a self-critical smile.

"Ya ... I was convinced that I had failed."

"Fuck." I feel as if I just happened to meet Stephen Hawking himself and he was tempting me with the secrets of the universe. "Can I read your answers?"

Her eyebrows arch again.

"That's pretty daring on your part, don't you think? We don't even know each other."

I snort.

"I'm not asking you to undress, sweetie. I just want to take a look at your exam."

"Sweetie? That presumptuous"

"Would you prefer 'Miss?' 'Lady' maybe? I would use your name, but I don't know it.

"Of course not." she sighs. "My name is Elizabeth." and after a pause full of meaning "Meliodas".

Wow, I was sooooo off with that M thing.

And I don't overlook the way she emphasises my name as if to say:

'Ha! I know yours, you cretin!'

she picks up the rest of her books and stands up, but I don't give her back her exam. Instead, I sit up and start flipping through it. While I read over her answers, my spirit plummets even more, because if this is the kind of analysis that Vivian is looking for, I am totally, completely and wholly screwed. There's a reason why I'm going to graduate in History, for God's sake: i deal with facts! Black and white. This is what happened to this person at this time and here is the result.

Elizabeth's answers focus on theoretical shit and how philosophers would respond to various moral dilemmas.

"Thank you." I return her papers. Then I put my thumbs in the loops of my jeans. "Hey, one thing. You ... what would you think ...?" I shrug my shoulders "You know …"

Her lips tremble as if she is trying not to laugh.

"Actually, I do not know."

I let out a sigh.

"Would you give me private lessons?"

Her blue eyes (the brightest shade of blue I've seen in my life, which are also surrounded by thick black lashes) go from startled to skeptical in a matter of seconds.

"I'll pay you," I add hastily.

"Oh Hey. Well, yes, of course I expected you to pay me. But ... " she shakes her head. "Sorry. I can't."

I repress my disappointment.

"Come on, do me a favor. If I fail the make-up test, my average grade will collapse. Come on, please." I send her a smile, the one that makes my dimples appear, the one that never fails to makes girls melt.

"Does that work normally?" she asks curiously.

"What?"

"The 'im an innocent guy so please do what i want' look, does it help you get what you want?"

"Always" I answer without hesitation.

"Well it doesn't work with me" she corrects me. "Look, I'm sorry, but I really don't have the time. I'm already juggling school and work, and with the next winter concert exhibition, I'll have even less time."

"Winter concert exhibition?" I say without understanding.

"Oh, forget it. If it's not about hockey, it's not on your radar."

"And now, who is being presumptuous? You do not even know me."

There is a second of silence and then she sighs defeated.

"I'm making a music career, okay? And the Faculty of Art assembles two important exhibitions a year: the winter concert and the spring concert. The winner gets a scholarship of fifty thousand dollars. Actually it's a kind of big business fair. The important people of the industry fly from all parts of the country to see it. Agents, record producers, talent scouts and others. So, although I'd love to help you …"

"You would not love it," I complain. "It seems you don't even want to talk to me right now."

The little gesture that she makes with her shoulders like 'you've caught me' pisses me off a lot.

"I have to go to the rehearsal. I'm sorry that you've failed this class, but if it makes you feel better, it's happened to everyone."

I squint my eyes.

"Not to you."

"I can't help it. The teacher Vivian seems to respond well to my style of rambling. It's a gift."

"Well, I want your gift. Please, help me"

I'm two seconds away from getting on my knees and pleading with her but she goes to the door.

"You know there's a study group, right? I can give you the number to …"

"I'm in it," I murmur.

"Ah Well, then there's not much else I can do for you. Good luck in the make-up test, 'sweetie'."

She goes out the door, leaving me there, looking at her in frustration. Amazing. All the girls in this university would cut their limbs off to help me. But this? He feels as if he had just asked her to kill a cat so he could give it to Satan as a sacrifice.

And now I'm back where I was before Elizabeth -without an M- gave me that faint glimmer of hope.

Totally screwed


	2. Chapter 2

# _**Meliodas**_

My roommates are completely drunk when I enter the house after study group. The coffee table is full of empty beer cans, next to an almost empty bottle of Jack Daniels that I know belongs to Ban, because he is a defender of philosophy "beer is for cowards". his words, not mine.

At that moment, Ban and Gilthunder are fighting each other in an intense game of Ice Pro, their eyes glued to the flat screen as they frantically hit the controls. Ban's gaze moves slightly when he notices me at the door and his fraction of a second distraction hits him.

"Suck it!" Gilthunder shouts when his defender gets a shot passed bans goalkeeper and the marker lights up.

"shit!, for fuck sake!" Ban pauses the game and gives me a somber look "what the hell, Mel. I just lost because of you."

I don't answer because now I am the one who's distracted by what's going on in the corner of that same room: a half porn session. And of course, the main actor is Howzer. Barefoot and bare-chested, he's lying on the couch while a blonde who's wearing only a black lace bra and shorts sits on top of him grinding against his crotch.

Dark violet eyes peek over the girl's shoulder and Howzer smiles at me

"Captain! Where have you been man?"

He kisses the blonde again before he can answer his drunken question.

For some reason, Howzer likes to fuck chicks everywhere except in his bedroom. Seriously. Every time I turn around, there he is involved in some lewd act. On the kitchen counter, on the living room sofa, on the dining table ...

The guy has done it in every inch of the house that the four of us shared off campus. He is a total sex pest, and has no problem making sure that we all know it.

Of course, I'm not one to talk. I am not a monk, neither are Ban and Gil. What can I say? we hockey players are always horny. When we're not on the ice, you can usually find us hanging out with a girl or two. Or three, if your name is Gilthunder and it's last year's New Year's Eve party.

"I've been sending you messages for an hour, asshole" Ban tells me.

His huge shoulders lean forward as he takes the bottle of whiskey from the coffee table. Ban is a beast in defence, one of the best I've played with, and also the best friend I've ever had. "Seriously, where the hell have you been?" he complained.

"In study group." i say while picking up a Bud Light from the table and open it. "What is that surprise that you have not stopped texting about?"

I can always deduce how pissed Ban is based on the grammar of their SMS. And tonight he has to be super pissed because I had to practically be Sherlock Holmes to decipher his messages. 'Suprz' meant 'surprise.' It took me more time to decode 'BHOFT', but I think it meant "be home on fucking time". Although you never know with Ban.

From the sofa, he smiles massively, so much, that it is really surprising that his jaw doesn't get unhinged. He throws his thumb towards the ceiling and says:

"Climb up and see it for yourself."

I squint my eyes.

"Why? What's up there?"

Ban laughs as he runs a hand through his white hair.

"If I told you, it would not be a surprise."

"Why do I have the feeling that you're up to something?"

"Fuck sake" Gil says in a shrill voice. "You have serious trust problems, Mel."

"Says the asshole that left a live raccoon in my bedroom on the first day of the semester."

Gilthunder smiles.

"Oh, come on, rocket was super adorable. It was your welcome back to school gift."

I extend my middle finger.

"Yeah, well, it was a fucking nightmare to get rid of your 'gift'." Now I look at him, frowning, because I still remember how three people had to come from pest control to get the bloody raccoon out of my room.

"For God's sake," says Ban. "You just have to go up. Trust me, you'll thank us later"

The look of sheer delight that he exchanges with others serves to heighten my suspicions. "Fine i'll go look", I'm not going to lower my guard completely, not with these dickheads.

I steal another two cans of beer before leaving. I don't drink much during the season, but the coach gave us the week off to study the partial exams and we still have two days of freedom. My teammates, the very lucky ones, the bastards, don't seem to have any problem chugging down twelve beers then playing like champions the next day. But me ... the next morning I feel a buzz that gives me an excruciating headache and then I skate like a little boy with his first pair of skates.

As soon as we return to a training regime of six days a week, my consumption of alcohol will be reduced to the usual ratio of 1-5: one drink on training nights, five after a game. no exceptions.

My plan is to make the most of the time I have left. Armed with my beers, I head up to my room. The master bedroom. Yeah, i used the 'I am your captain' to get it and believe me, the discussion with my teammates was worth it: private bathroom, baby.

My door is ajar, something that causes me to return to suspicious mode. I look cautiously at the top of the frame to make sure there is not a bucket of Carrie blood and then I give the door a little push. it gives in easily so i go in a few inches, fully prepared for an ambush.

And there it is.

But it's more of a visual ambush than anything else, because, my god, the girl in my bed seems to have come out of the Victoria's Secret catalogue.

Let's see, I'm a guy and I don't know the name of half of the shit she's wearing.

I see lace and pink bows and a lot of naked skin. so I'm happy.

"You've taken a long time" Zaneri throws me a sexy smile that says 'you're about to get lucky, big man' and my cock reacts accordingly, growing under the zipper. "I was going to give you five more minutes before I left."

"Then, I arrived just in time." My look focuses on her attire, worthy of a good dose of drooling, and then I say slowly "Hey, baby, is it all for me?"

Her blue eyes darken seductively.

"You know it is, stud."

I am very aware that we sound like characters in a corny porn movie. But come on, when a man comes into his room and finds a woman lying on his bed looking like that ... he's willing to recreate any crappy scene she wants, even one that involves pretending to be a pizza delivery boy from pizza hut.

Zaneri and I got together for the first time during the summer, for convenience more than anything else, because we were both in the area during the holidays. We went to a bar a couple of times, one thing led to the other, and the next thing I know is that I'm hooking up with a horny girl from a sorority. But everything went off before the partial exams and apart from a few dirty SMS here and there, I hadn't seen Zaneri until now.

"I thought maybe you'd like to have a good time before the workouts begin again," she says as her newly manicured fingers play with the small pink ribbon in the center of her bra.

"You thought right."

A smile curves his lips as he gets up to kneel. Fuck, her tits practically come out of that lace thing she's wearing. She crooks her finger in my direction.

"Come here."

I don't lose a second in going to her because ... as I said before ... I'm a guy.

"I think you're a little too warm," she says, and then he grabs the waistband of my jeans and unbuttons the button. Pulling the zipper and a second later my cock comes out to greet hand, which grasps loosely. I haven't done the laundry in weeks, so I went without underwear until I get myself organised, and by the way her eyes light up, I can guarantee that she approves of this whole going without underpants thing.

When she starts gently stroking, a moan comes from my throat. Oh yeah. There is nothing better than the feeling of a woman's hand on your cock.

But no, I'm wrong. The language of Zaneri comes into play and, fuck, mouth is MUCH better than a hand

An hour later, Zaneri curls up beside me and rests her head on my chest. Her lingerie and my clothes are scattered on the floor of the room, along with two empty condom wrappers and the bottle of lubricant that we didn't need to open.

The caresses make me a little nervous, but I can't push her away and demand her to leave; not when she has clearly made a great effort for this little game of seduction.

But that also worries me.

Women don't wear expensive underwear like that for a quick romp that doesn't mean anything, right? My answer is 'no' and Zaneri's words validate my disturbing thoughts.

"I missed you, honey."

My first thought is: shit.

My second thought is: why?

Because in all the time that Zaneri and I have been sleeping together, Zaneri hasn't made a single effort to get to know me. If we're not fucking like animals, she just talks nonstop about herself. Seriously, I do not think she asked me a personal question since we met. Now she's looking like she wants me to say something to her.

"Eh …" I'd like to find the right words, any scenario that does not include me lying or leading her on but I seem to have some trouble with it.

"You know, with the partial exams…"

"Obviously. We go to the same university. I have also been studying." There is a point of anger in her tone of voice. "Have you missed me?"

Fuck. What am I supposed to say to that? I won't lie, because that would only give false hope. But I can't be a bastard and admit that she hasn't even crossed my mind since we last hooked up.

Zaneri sits up and glares.

"It's a yes or no question, Meliodas".

My gaze quickly goes to the window. Yes, I'm on the first floor and seriously considering jumping out the window. That gives an idea of how much I want to avoid this conversation.

But my silence says it all, and suddenly Zaneri flies out of bed, her jet-black hair moving in all directions as she starts recovering her clothes.

"Oh my God. You are a complete jackass! You don't care at all, do you, Meliodas?"

I get up and go straight to my jeans.

"Yeah, I care about you" I protest, "but …"

She puts on her panties with fury.

"But what?"

"But I thought we agreed on what this was. I don't want anything serious." I stare at her. "I told you from the beginning."

His expression softens as she bites her lip.

"I know, but ... I just thought …"

I know exactly what she thought, that I would fall in love with her and that our casual romps would be turned into some fucking epic love story.

Honestly, I don't even know why I bother to break the rules. In my experience, no woman gets into a casual relationship believing that the everything is going to stay casual. she can say the opposite; she may even convince herself that she thinks no strings sex is cool, but deep down she waits and prays for it to become something deeper.

And then I, the villain in her personal romantic comedy, comes and bursts that bubble of hope, even though I never lie about my intentions, not even for a second.

"Hockey is my whole life," I say brusquely. "I train six days a week, I play twenty games a year, or more if we play postseason. I do not have time for girlfriends, Zaneri. And you deserve a lot more than I can give you."

Unhappiness clouds her eyes.

"I don't want to just be your booty call for a while. I want to be your girlfriend."

Another "why?" Almost escapes me, but I bite my tongue. If she had shown any interest in me outside of the carnal theme, I might have believed her, but she never has, so it makes me wonder if the only reason she wants to have a relationship with me is because I am a kind of status symbol for her.

I swallow my frustration and offer another awkward apology.

"Sorry. But I am at a point in my life where i don't want anything serious"

When I zip up my jeans, she refocuses on her clothes. Although saying 'clothes' is a little exaggerated: all it is, is underwear and a raincoat. Which explains why Ban and Gilthunder were smiling like idiots when I got home. When a girl appears at your door wearing a raincoat, you know very well that there is not much more underneath.

"I can't have sex with you anymore," she finally says, her gaze rising to find mine. "If we keep doing ... this ... I'm just going to get more hooked."

I can't argue with that, so I don't

"We've had a good time, right?"

After a second of silence, she smiles.

"Yes, we have had a good time."

Reducing the distance between us she leans down to kiss me. I return the kiss, but not with the same degree of passion as before. It's a soft kiss to say goodbye. The fun has run its course and I don't intend to give false hope again.

"Saying this ..." Her blue eyes sparkle mischievously, "if you change your mind about wanting a girlfriend, tell me."

"You'll be the first person I call," I promise.

"okay"

she kisses me on the cheek and goes out the door. I can't stop marvelling at how easy it has been. I'd been preparing for a fight, but apart from the initial outbreak of anger, Zaneri accepted the situation like a pro.

I wish all women were as understanding as she was.

And yes, that's a jab at Elizabeth.

Sex always brings out my appetite, so I go downstairs looking for something to eat, and I'm happy to see that there's still leftover rice and fried chicken, courtesy of Gil, our house chef; the rest of us can't boil water without burning it. Gil, however, grew up in Texas, with a single mother who taught him how to cook when he was still in diapers.

I sit on the counter in the kitchen and put a piece of chicken in my mouth when I see Ban walking alone in checkered shorts.

He raises an eyebrow when he sees me.

"Hey! I didn't think I'd see you again tonight. I assumed you would be VBF."

"VBF?" I ask between bites. Ban likes to drop acronyms

hoping that we start using them as slang, but the truth is that

Half the time I have no idea what the hell he's saying.

Smile.

"Very Busy Fucking."

I snort and stuff a mouthful of wild rice in my mouth.

"Seriously, the brunette is gone already?"

"Yeah." I chew before continuing. "Know the rules. The rules are: no seriousness and no sleep overs under any circumstances."

Ban rests his forearms on the table, his red eyes shine when he changes the topic.

"I'm looking forward to this weekend against Edinburgh. Have you heard? The suspension on Monspeet is over."

That makes me pay attention on what he's saying.

"Don't fuck with me. Do you play on Saturday?"

"Of course." Ban's expression becomes super hyped. "I'm going to enjoy the beauty of breaking that guys face up against the fence."

Monspeet is the extreme star of edinburgh and the biggest scum of the earth. The guy has a sadistic streak that he's not afraid to air on the ice and, when our teams met in the preseason game, he sent one of our second-year defenders to the ER with a broken arm. Hence his suspension from three games, if it were for me, i would have sent the fucking psychopath home suspending him for life from college hockey.

"If you want to crush that bastard, I'll be there with you," I promise.

"I'll take you up on that. Oh, and next week we have Danafor at home.

I really should pay more attention to our agenda. Danafor College is second in our league - after us, of course - and our duels are always nail biting And, shit, I suddenly remember that if I didn't get a very good mark in Ethics, I won't be on the ice in the match against danafor. "Fuck," I murmur.

Ban steals a piece of chicken from my plate and puts it in his mouth.

"What?"

I haven't yet told my teammates about my problem with my grades, because I didn't expect my average grade to be so bad. Now it seems that it is inevitable that i'll have to admit it.

So, with a sigh, I tell Ban about my failure in Ethics and what it could mean for the team.

"Leave the course," he says instantly.

"I can't The deadline has passed."

"Shit."

"Exactly."

We exchange a somber look and then Ban lets himself fall on the next stool over while running a hand through his hair.

"Then you have to do something, asshole. Study until your eyes fall out and get a 10 in that fucking exam. We need you, Mel."

"I know." I grab my fork in frustration and then release it. My appetite now gone. This is my first year as captain, something that is a great honor considering that I'm only in my third year. I'm supposed to follow in my predecessor's footsteps and take my team to another national championship, but how the fuck can I do that if I'm not on the ice with them?

"I have a particular teacher in mind," I say to my teammate. "she's a fucking genius."

"okay. Pay what she wants. If you want, I'll put money in."

I can't help smiling.

"Wow. Are you offering to share your money?"

"Yes you want me to pay, huh? I'll do it. All for our dream, man. You and me with demon shirts, remember?"

I have to admit that it is a dream to be a pro. Ban and I haven't stopped talking about that since we were assigned as roommates in the first year. There is no doubt that after graduation I will go to the professional league. There is also no doubt that they will select Ban. the man moves faster than lightning and is an absolute beast on ice.

"Get that fucking mark, Captain," he orders me. "If not, I'm going to kick your ass."

"The coach will get me first" bans lips curve in a smile "Do not worry, I'm on it"

"All right." Ban steals another piece of chicken before leaving the kitchen.

I swallow the rest of my food, then go back upstairs to get my phone. It's time to put pressure on Elizabeth.


	3. Chapter 3

_**#Elizabeth**_

"I really think you should sing that last note on my major," Gowther insists. It's like a scratched record, releasing the same nonsense suggestion every time we finish reviewing our duet. But I am a pacifist. I do not believe in the use of fists to solve problems.

I think that any type of organised fight, even sports, is a barbaric and thinking about wars turns my stomach.

But even so, I'm 'this close' to punching Gowther in the face.

"That note is too low for me." My tone of voice is firm, but it's impossible to hide my anger.

Gowther passes a frustrated hand through his pink, straight hair and turns to Guila, who is fidgeting nervously on the piano bench.

"You know I'm right, Guila," he implores. "It will be a more shocking blow if Elizabeth and I finish on the same note as a harmony." he said.

I'm about to start tearing my hair out. I know exactly what Gowther is doing. He wants to finish the song in HIS note. He's been throwing shit like that out since we decided to form a team for the winter performance, doing everything possible to make his voice stand out and send me to the background. If I had known what Gowther was like, I would have told him to fuck off with this duet, but the imbecile decided to show his true face after having started the rehearsals and now it's too late to back out. I have invested too much time in this duet and the truth is that I love the song, really. Guila has written an incredible piece and a part of me doesn't want to disappoint her in the least.

Also, I know for a fact that the faculty prefers the duets to the solos: the last four performances that have won the scholarship have been duets. the Judges are obsessed with complex harmonies and this composition has them in abundance.

"Guila?" Gowther says.

"Hey…"

I can see how the tiny brunette melts under his magnetic gaze. Gowther has that effect on women. He is exasperatingly handsome and on top of that his voice is fantastic. Unfortunately, he is fully aware of both qualities and has no qualms about using them for his own benefit.

"Maybe Gowther is right," she stammers, avoiding looking me in the eye as she betrays me. "Why do not we try it out, Elizabeth? We're going to do it once and see which works best."

'Traitor! Judas!' That's what I want to scream, but I bite my tongue. Like me, Gila has been forced to deal with Gowther's bizarre demands and his "bright" ideas for weeks, so I can't blame her for trying to get somewhere in between.

"Okay" I say "Let's try it"

The triumph illuminates the eyes of Gowther behind his glasses, but it does not stay there long because after singing the song again, it is clear that his suggestion isn't worth jack. The note is too low for me and, instead of getting Gowther's beautiful baritone voice to stand out, my part sounds so out of place that it diverts all attention.

"I think Elizabeth has to stay in the original tonality." Guila looks at Gowther and bites her lip, as if afraid of his reaction.

And although the man is arrogant, he's not stupid.

"Fine. We'll do it your way, Elizabeth."

I grit my teeth.

"Thank you."

Fortunately, our time comes to an end, which means that the rehearsal room is about to belong to someone else. Eager to get out of there, I quickly pick up my scarf and put on my coat. The less time I have to spend with Gowther, the better.

God! I can't stand it.

Ironically, we sing a deeply emotional love song.

"the same time tomorrow?" he looks at me expectantly.

"No, tomorrow rehearsals at four o'clock, remember? I work on Tuesday nights"

Discontent hardens his face.

"You know what? We could have had the song more than prepared a long time ago if your schedule was not so ... unaccommodating."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Says the guy who refuses to rehearse on weekends ... Because may I remind you that I am free both days: Saturdays and Sunday nights"

His lips tighten and then he leaves with a calm step without saying anything else.

asshole.

A deep sigh sounds behind me. I turn around and see Guila still sitting at the piano, still biting her lip.

"Sorry, Elizabeth," she says quietly. "When I propositioned to you both to sing my song I didn't imagine that Gowther would be so difficult."

My anger evaporates when I realise how upset she is.

"Hey, it's not your fault, I promise. I didn't expect him to be that much of an asshole either. But he's an incredible singer, so let's try to focus on that, okay?"

"You're also an incredible singer. That's why I chose you both. I couldn't imagine it if you were not giving life to the song, you know?"

I smile at her, She is a super sweet girl, not to mention that she is easily one of the most talented female composers I have ever met. Each piece that takes place in the concert must be composed by a student of the Composition career and, even before Gila approached me, I had already thought to ask her to let me use one of her songs.

"I promise we're going to sing your song the way it deserves to be sang, Guila. Ignore Gowther's absurd tantrums. I think he just likes to argue about everything."

she laughs

"Yes probably. See you tomorrow then?"

"Yes. At four o 'clock."

I wave goodbye with my hand and then I leave the room and head to the street.

One of the things I like most about liones is the campus. The old, ivy-covered buildings are connected by cobblestone paths lined with huge elms and wrought iron benches. The university is one of the oldest in the country, and its list of alumni contains dozens of influential people, including more than one president.

But the best thing about liones is the security. Seriously, our crime rate is close to zero, which probably has a lot to do with Dean Hendrickson's dedication to the safety of his students. The school invests a lot of money in strategically placed cameras and guards that patrol the facilities twenty-four hours a day. It's not like it's a prison or anything like that. The security guys are friendly and discreet. Really, I barely notice their presence when I'm walking around the campus.

My residence is a five-minute walk from the Music Building, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I walk through the solid oak doors of the caine Residence. It's been a long day and all I want to do is get in a hot shower and crawl into bed.

The space I share with Diane is more of a suite than the typical dorm room. It is one of the advantages of being second year students. We have two rooms, a small common space and an even smaller kitchen. The only drawback is the communal bathroom that we share with the other four girls on our floor, but luckily none of us is messy, so the showers and toilets usually stay perfectly clean.

"Hey! You're late" My roomate pokes out her head sucking on a straw. she's drinking something green, dense and absolutely disgusting, but it's a visual that I've already got used to. Diane has been on a juice diet for the past two weeks, which means that every morning I wake up with the deafening buzz of her blender as she prepares her repulsive, liquid meals for the rest of the day.

"I had to go to practice" I kick off my shoes and throw my coat on the bed; then I start to undress until I'm in my underwear even though Diane is still in the doorway.

Some time ago I was too shy to undress in front of her. When we shared a double room the first year, the first weeks I changed under the sheets or waited until Diane had left the room. But there is one thing that happens in university, and that is that there is no such thing as privacy and, sooner or later, you have to accept it. I still remember how ashamed I felt the first time I saw Diane's naked breasts; She has zero modesty, so when she caught me looking at her, she just winked at me and said:

"They are incredible, huh?"

After that, I gave up the habit of undressing under the covers.

"Listen to this…"

Her casual start puts me on guard. I've lived with Diane for two years, long enough to know that when she starts a phrase with "listen to this," it's usually followed by something I do not want to hear.

"Yes?" I say as I grab my bathrobe from the door hook.

"There is a party at the house of the Sigma fraternity on Wednesday night." Her violet eyes begin to shine brightly. "You're coming with me."

I release a groan.

"a party at a fraternity? Not a chance. No way."

"Come on, Elizabeth." she crushes her arms over her chest. "The partial exams are over, so you better not use that as an excuse. And you promised me that you would make an effort this semester to be more social."

Yes, I had promised that but: I do not like parties.

They raped me at a party.

God, I hate that word. rape. It is one of the few words in the vocabulary that has a detrimental effect when it is heard. Like a slap in the face or a jug of frozen water over the head. It is unpleasant and demoralising, and I try with all my might not to let it control my life.

I've worked hard on moving on from what happened to me. I know it was not my fault. I know it was not something I asked for and I know I did not do anything that invited it to happen. It has not robbed me of my ability to trust people or fear every man who crosses my path. Years of therapy have helped me to see that the fault is exclusively HIS. Something was not working well in HIM. Not in me, Never in me. And the most important lesson I learned is that I am not a victim, I am a survivor.

But that doesn't mean that the attack didn't change me. There is a reason behind me carrying pepper spray in my bag and having my finger ready to dial 112 on my phone if I walk alone at night. There is a reason why I do not drink in public or accept glasses from anyone, not even from Diane, because there is always a possibility that she may be giving me, unknowingly, a contaminated cup.

And there is a reason behind not wanting to go to many parties. I guess it's my personal version of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A sound, a smell or the sight of something harmless causes the memories to spiral up to the surface.

I listen to music at full volume and loud conversations and laughter. I smell stale beer and sweat. I'm among a crowd. And suddenly, I'm fifteen again and I'm back at Deldry's party, trapped in my own personal nightmare.

Diane softens her tone when she sees my anguished face.

"We've done this before, Ellie. It will be like all the other times. At no time will I lose sight of you and neither of you will drink a single drop. I promise you."

Shame pulls on my insides. Shame and regret and a touch of amazement, because, wow, she is an amazing friend. She doesn't have to stay sober or stay on guard just to make me feel better, but she does it every time we go out and I love her deeply for that.

But I don't like that she has to do it.

"It's okay" I know, not only for her but also for me. I have promised my friend to be more social, but I have also promised myself that I would make an effort to try new things this year. To lower my guard and stop once and for all having so much fear of the unknown. It may be that a fraternity party doesn't represent my idea of fun, but who knows, i might end up having fun.

Diane's face lights up.

"Yes! And on top of that I didn't even have to play the card I had."

"What card?" I ask distrustfully.

A smile raises the corners of her mouth.

"Arthur will be there."

My pulse accelerates.

"How do you know?"

"Because King and I met him in the dining room and he told us he would go. I suppose that a good part of the small group of imbecile sportsmen already counted on going."

I growl: "He is not an imbecile."

"Oh, what an endearing moment, you defending a football player. Wait. I'm going out to see if there are little pigs flying in the sky."

"Hahaha."

"Seriously, Ellie, it's ... strange. Let's see, do not get me wrong, I'm totally in favour of you meeting someone. How much has already happened? A year since you and Alioni split? But I don't understand why you, with all the guys out there, lose your head for a jock."

Some discomfort goes up my spine.

"Arthur is ... he is not like the rest. He is different."

"Says the girl who has never spoken a single word with him."

"he's different" I insist. "He's calm and serious and, from what I've seen, he doesn't go around throwing himself at every girl he sees, as his teammates do. Oh, and he's smart; I saw him reading Hemingway in the yard last week."

"Probably it was a mandatory reading."

"It was not."

She narrows her eyes.

"How do you know?"

I feel the blush rising up my cheeks.

"A girl asked him in class the other day and he answered that Hemingway was his favourite author."

"Oh my God. Now you spy on his conversations? You're scary." Diane exhales a sigh. "Well, we've gotten this far; On Wednesday night you will have some real conversation with him."

"Maybe," I say without compromising. "If the opportunity is given…"

"I'll make it happen. Seriously We're not leaving that party until you've talked to Arthur. I don't care if it's just you saying "Hi, how are you?" You are going to talk to him." she says pointing her finger in my face "deal?"

I chuckle.

"Deal?" she repeats in a strict tone.

After a second, I release a sigh of defeat.

"deal"

"All right. Now hurry up and take a shower so you can watch a couple of episodes of Mad Men before going to bed".

"An episode. I'm too tired for anything more." I smile. "deal?"

"deal," she grunts before leaving my room nonchalantly.

I laugh at myself while collecting the products for the shower, but something prevents me from reaching my goal again. When I've barely taken two steps towards the door, a cat meows in my bag. That high-pitched sound is the one I chose as the tone for text messages because it's the only one annoying enough to get my attention.

I pull my bag from the dresser, and I search it until I locate my mobile phone; Next, I analyse the message on the screen.

~Hey, It Meliodas. I wanted to ask again: please can i schedule private lessons.~

For the love of God.

I don't know whether to laugh or scream. The man is tenacious. I sigh and return the message quickly. A short SMS and nothing friendly.

Me: How did you get this number?

He: On the sheet from study group.

Shit. I had signed up for the group at the beginning of the semester, but that was before Gowther decided we had to rehearse on Mondays and Wednesdays, just when the study group meets.

Another message appears before I can respond; And by the way, whoever said that it is not possible to detect a person's mood through messages, was totally wrong. Meliodas' tone shows that he is pissed off.

He: If you had gone to study group, I wouldn't have to message.

Me: You don't have to message me at all. In fact, I would prefer if you didn't.

He: Q. what do I have to do to get you to say yes?

Me: Absolutely nothing.

He: Great. So what? are you going to do for free?

The snarl that I have been repressing escapes.

Me: Don't even dream it.

He: what are you doing tonight? I'm free at 8:00 p.m.

Me: I cant. I have the Spanish flu. Highly contagious I just saved your life, sorry.

He: Oh, I appreciate the concern. But I am immune to the pandemics that ended with 40 million dead between 1918 to 1919.

Me: How is it that you know so much about pandemics?

He: Study History, love. I know a lot of useless facts.

Ugh, again with the "love"?

Me: Well, a pleasure to chat with you. Good luck in the make-up exam.

When several seconds later Meliodas does not respond, I give myself a mental pat on the back for successfully getting rid of him.

I'm about to walk out the door when a message meows on my phone. It's a photo. Without paying attention to my common sense, I click to download it and a moment later a bare chest fills my screen. Yes. I'm talking about a smooth, tanned skin, sculpted pectorals and the firmest set of abs I've ever seen.

I can't help huffing out loud.

Me: Fuck. did you just sent me a photo of your chest ?!

Him: Yes. Has it worked?

Me: In disgusting me? Yes. Wow!

He: In making you change your mind. I'm trying to soften you up.

Me: Yuk. Go try to soften someone else up. PS: I'm going to post that photo on my-lio.

I refer, of course, to Myliones, the equivalent to Facebook for our university, to which ninety-five percent of the students are connected.

Him: Go ahead! A lot of kids will be happy to have it in their porn collection.

Me: Delete this number. I'm serious.

I do not wait for an answer. I throw the cell phone on the bed and get in the shower.


	4. Chapter 4

# _**Elizabeth**_

liones University is about 5 miles from vanya village, which has a main street and only about twenty stores and restaurants. The town is so tiny that it's a miracle that I got a part-time job there, and I thank my lucky stars every day because most students are forced to travel an hour by car to vaizel if they want to work during the school year. For me, it's ten minutes by bus or five minutes by car to the black cat, the restaurant where I've worked as a waitress since the first year. Tonight I'm lucky and I get to drive. I have an agreement with Gelda, one of the girls who lives on the same floor as me. she lets me use her car every time she doesn't need it if I return it to her with a full tank. It's a decent deal,

I don't particularly like my work, but I don't hate it either. it pays well and is close to the uni, so, really, I can't complain.

strike that: tonight I can definitely complain. Thirty minutes before my shift ends, Meliodas appears at one of my tables.

Seriously.

Does this guy never give up?

I don't feel like going over there to serve him, but I don't have many options. Jenna, the other waitress on my shift, is busy attending to a group of faculty professors at a table on the other side of the room and my boss, Della, is behind the celestial blue bar distributing portions of pecan pie to three first year girls who are sitting on the high swivel stools.

I tighten my jaw and go to where Meliodas is. I don't disguise my discontent at all when I meet his flashing green eyes. He runs his hand through his dishevelled blond hair and gives a half-sided smile.

"Hello, Elizabeth. What a coincidence to find you here."

"Yeah, an amazing coincidence," I murmur, taking my notebook out of my apron pocket. "What do you want?"

"A private teacher."

"I'm sorry, that's not on the menu." I smile sweetly. "But what we do have is a delicious pecan pie."

"Do you know what I did last night?" He says, without responding to my sarcasm.

"Yes. You harassed me with text messages."

Snorts.

"Before that, I mean."

I pretend I'm thinking it out.

"Eh ... sex with a cheerleader? No, you hooked up with the girls on the hockey team. No, wait, they probably aren't idiotic enough for you. I'm left with my original assumption: cheerleader."

"Actually, with a girl from the istar sorority," he says cockily. "But what I mean is what I did before that." He raises a blond eyebrow. "But I am very intrigued by your interest in my sex life. I can give you more details at another time if you want."

"No thanks…"

"another time," he says in a dismissive tone, crossing his hands over the blue-and-white checked tablecloth.

he has large hands with long fingers and short nails, and the knuckles are a little red and cracked. I wonder if he has been in a fight recently, but then I figure that his burst knuckles are probably a normal thing for hockey players.

"Yesterday I went to the study group," he informs me. There were eight other people there, and do you know what was the highest grade in the group?" he drops the answer before I can say anything. "A 6. And our average grade combining them all was a 4. How am I supposed to pass that test if I'm studying with people who are as stupid as me? I NEED YOU, Ellie."

Ellie? Is that a nickname?

Meliodas notices my surprised look and raises his eyebrows again.

"I've learned a lot about you in the study group. I have your phone number, your full name, I even found out where you work."

"Congratulations. You are truly a stalker."

"No, I'm just meticulous. I like to know who I'm dealing with."

"For the love of god! I'm not going to teach you, okay? Go to bother someone, anyone else." I point to the menu in front of him. "Are you going to order something? Because if not then please go and let me do my job in peace."

"love of god"? Meliodas laughs before taking the laminated menu and reading it. "I'll have a special turkey sandwich. And a double hamburger with cheese and bacon. Only the hamburger, without chips. In fact make that with chips. Oh, and a serving of onion rings"

My jaw almost fell to the ground.

"Are you really going to eat all that?"

He flashes that stupid half smile again.

"yup. I am a child that is still growing."

Child? No way. I'm realising now, probably because I've been too distracted thinking about how insufferable he is, but Meliodas, In spite of his youthful face and short stature there is nothing child-like about him, nothing in his chiselled beauty, nor in his naked pectorals, that suddenly appear in my head when remembering the photo that he sent definitely not child-like

"I also want a piece of that pie you have and a Dr. Pepper to drink. Oh, and some private lessons."

"They're not on the menu," I say happily. "But the rest will be right out"

Before he can answer, I leave his table and go to the back counter to give the command to Julio, our cook of the night. A nanosecond later, Jenna comes running and tells me in a low voice.

"Oh my God. You know who he is, right?"

"Yes."

"It's Meliodas!" she whisper yelled

"I know," I answer dryly. "That's why I said yes."

Jenna seems outraged.

"But what's wrong with you? Meliodas is sitting at YOUR table! He has spoken WITH YOU!"

"wow, really? Let's see, yes, his lips moved, and noise came out so yeah i realise he was talking to me. I just don't care"

I snort and go to the drinks area to get Meliodas his. I don't look in his direction, but I can feel those emerald-green eyes follow each of my movements. He's probably sending me telepathic orders to give him private lessons. Well, too bad for him. No chance I'm going to waste the little free time I have with a college hockey player who thinks he's a rock star.

Jenna follows me, still talking enthusiastically about Meliodas.

"He is so handsome. He has an incredible body." Her voice is reduced to a whisper. "And I heard it's unbelievable in bed."

I snort.

"Probably started that rumour himself."

"No, veronica told me. Last year she wound up with him at the annual fraternity mixer. she said it was the best sex of her life."

I can't answer that, because I could not be less interested in the sex life of a girl I don't even know. so I shrug and approach the drinks machine

"You know what? Why don't we switch tables?"

From the way Jenna gasps, you would think that I just handed her a five million dollar check.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. he's all yours."

"Oh Lord." she takes a step forward, as if she is about to hug me, but then he throws a glance in the direction of Meliodas and seems to have doubts about carrying out that demonstration of absolutely unjustified joy. "I owe you a massive for this, El."

I want to tell her that she's really doing me a favor, but she's already running to the table to tend to her prince. I watch with amusement as Meliodas' expression becomes darker as Jenna approaches. he takes the glass she places in front of him and then finds my eyes and tilts his head.

It's as if he said, "You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

# _**Meliodas**_

she will not get rid of me that easily.

It's clear that Elizabeth hasn't spent much time with college athletes. We're a big group and what is the main thing we all have in common? That we never, never give up. God help me, I'm going to convince this girl to give me lessons, even if i die trying.

Although now that Elizabeth has stuck me with another waitress, it will be a while before another opportunity arises to plead my case. For the next twenty minutes, I endure the blatant flirting and undisguised interest of the blonde with straight hair who is serving me; I'm nice to her, but I don't flirt back.

The only person that interests me tonight is Elizabeth and my gaze sticks to her like glue while she works in the restaurant. Sure she would run out of here as soon as he stopped watching her.

Her uniform makes me pretty sure i'm going to break my no girl rule again. White top clinging to every curve, little booty shorts that just barely covers her ass. And a little black apron tied around her waist.

Her hair silvery and long and totally smooth; the fringe that normally covers one of her intense blue eyes, now pinned to the top of her head in a little quiff.

While I watch her work, I wonder what her story is. I asked the people in the study group, but nobody knows much about her. A guy told me he's from a small town in the Midwest. Someone else said that she was dating a guy from a music group during her first year of her academic career. Apart from those two rickety details, it's a mystery.

"Can I offer you anything else?" My waitress asks anxiously.

she looks at me like I'm a celebrity or something, but I'm used to attention. fact: when one is the captain of the first division hockey team, which has won two consecutive national titles, people know who you are. And women want to fuck you.

"No thanks. Only the check, please."

"Oh" Her disappointment is unmistakable. "okay. I bring it to you right away."

Before she leaves, I ask a question with a direct and dry tone.

"Do you know when Elizabeth's shift ends?"

Her disappointed expression transforms into disbelief.

"why?"

"She's in one of my classes. I want to talk to her about a job."

The blonde's reddish face relaxes, but a glimmer of suspicion lingers in her eyes.

"It's over, but you can't go until your customers leave."

I glance at the only other table occupied in the restaurant, where a middle-aged couple is seated. The man has just taken out his wallet, while his wife takes a look at the check putting on her glasses.

I pay for my food, say goodbye to my waitress and go outside to wait for Elizabeth.

Five minutes later, the older couple happily leaves the restaurant. A minute later, Elizabeth appears. If she seen me hanging around the door, she hides it very well. She simply pulls on her coat and goes to the side of the building. I don't waste time running after her.

"Ellie, wait."

Looking over her shoulder, frowning deeply.

"For God's sake, I'm not going to give you private lessons."

"Of course you will." I shrug "I just have to find out what you want in return."

Elizabeth turns full speed like a tornado with silver hair.

"I want to not give you class. That's what I want."

"Well then, it's obvious that money doesn't interest you," I shrug as if she hadn't spoken. "Then there must be something else." I think on it for a moment. "Alcohol? weed?"

"No and no, now please disappear from my life."

she starts walking again, her white sneakers hitting the sidewalk as she leaves for the gravel parking lot on the side of the restaurant. she's going straight to the silver Toyota parked right next to my Jeep.

"OK" i press. "I suppose other drugs are a no as well then?."

I follow her to the driver's side, but she ignores me completely as she opens the door and drops her purse on the passenger seat.

"How about a date?" I offer her.

That really catches her attention. she straightens up as if someone had put a metal rod up her ass and turns her head in amazement.

"What?"

"Ah I have your attention"

"No, you have my repulsion. Do you really think I would want to go out with you?"

"Everybody wants to go out with me."

she laughs in my face.

Maybe I should be offended by her reaction, but I like the sound of her laughter. It's like music, with a hoarse tone that tickles my ears.

"Just out of curiosity," she says, "when you wake up in the morning, do you admire yourself in front of the mirror for an hour or for two?"

"Two" I answered with joy.

"And let me guess you high-five your reflection too?"

"Of course not." I smile. "I kiss each one of my biceps and then I point towards the ceiling and I thank the big man up stairs for creating such a perfect male specimen."

She snorts.

"Well ... I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Perfect, but I'm not interested in dating you."

"I think you're misunderstanding me, Ellie. I'm not looking for a loving relationship with you. And if it makes you feel better, you can insult me the whole time."

"Well, that makes me feel better. I was starting to worry that I could be your type and that is something too scary to even to think about"

When she tries to get into the car, I dip my fingers into the door frame to keep it open.

"I'm talking about image obviously"

"Image" she repeats.

"Yes. You wouldn't be the first girl who goes out with me to increase her popularity. Happens all the time."

Elizabeth laughs again.

"I'm perfectly happy with my current standing on the social ladder, but thank you very much for offering to 'increase my popularity.' You are a angel, Mel. Really."

Frustration stirs my throat.

"What can i do to make you change your mind?"

"Nothing. You're wasting your time." She shakes her head, seemingly as frustrated as I am. "Look, if you invest all the effort that you're using in harassing me and start channelling it in to your studies, you would get honorary enrolment this semester."

she pushes my hand away from the car, slips into the driver's seat and closes the door. A second later, the engine roars to life and I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't stepped back in time, I would have gotten my foot run over.

I wonder if Elizabeth was an athlete in another life because, she is one stubborn woman!

Sighing, I stare at the flickering red taillights and try to think about my next move.

Nothing comes to mind at all.

shit.


	5. Chapter 5

# _**Elizabeth**_

Diane stays true to her word. We've been at the party for twenty minutes and she has not separated from me yet, even though her boyfriend has been begging her to dance with him from the moment we arrived.

I feel like an idiot.

"this is ridiculous. Go now to dance with King." I have to scream to make myself heard over the music, which, surprisingly, is pretty decent. I expected crappy electronic rhythms or vulgar hip-hop themes, but the one in charge of the music seems to have an affinity for indie rock and 2000s' punk.

"Nah, it's fine," Diane shouts. "I'll stay here with you."

Sure, because staying here against the wall spying on people like a weird geek, watching me drink the bottle of Evian that I brought from the dorm, is much more fun than hanging out with your boyfriend.

The room filled to the brim with people. Lots of girls and boys from the different fraternities and sororities. But tonight there is much more variety than you usually find in some of these parties. I see several performing arts students next to the pool table. Some girls on the grass hockey team chatting by the fireplace. A group of guys, who almost certainly are first years, standing next to the bar.

All the furniture is against the wooden walls creating an improvised dance floor in the center of the room. Wherever I look, I see people dancing, laughing and talking about unimportant things.

And poor Diane is stuck to me as if she's Velcro, unable to enjoy even a second of the party to which SHE wanted to go to.

"Go," I command her. "Seriously. You haven't seen King since the partials started. You deserve to spend some quality time with your man."

Diane looks conflicted.

"I'll be fine. Jericho and Guila are right there, I'm going to chat with them for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I came here to socialise, remember?" Smiling, I give her a little slap in the ass. "Get out of here"

she smiles back and starts to walk away, then holds her iPhone waving it in the air.

"Send me an SOS if you need me," she says aloud. "And don't leave without warning me!"

The music drowns out my answer, but Diane checks how I am before she rushes to the center of the room. I see her brown head zigzagging through the crowd until she arrives in front of King, who is so happy he drags her towards the crowd of dancers.

You see? I can be a good friend.

Only now I'm alone and the two girls I had planned to stick with are chatting with two very handsome guys. I don't want to interrupt their master's degree in flirting, so I search among people for someone I know -even Gowther would be a gift for the eyes at this point - but I don't see any familiar faces. I stifle a sigh and submit myself to my little corner to spend a few minutes observing people.

When several guys look in my direction with blatant interest, I curse myself for letting Diane to choose my outfit for the night. My dress is not skimp or slutty by any means, it's just a green body-con dress with a modest neckline, but it makes my curves stand out more than i'm comfortable with, and the black heels that I chose to match make my legs seem much longer than they already are. I didn't say anything about the outfit because I wanted to get Arthur's attention, but by wanting to make myself visible on his radar, I forgot about all the other radars I could appear on. So much attention is starting to make me nervous.

"Hello."

I turn my head when a handsome guy with wavy brown hair and light blue eyes approaches stealthily towards me. He wears a polo shirt and holds a red plastic cup in his hand. He smiles at me as if we already knew each other.

"um ... Hello," I answer.

When he realises my puzzled expression, his smile widens.

"I'm Jimmy. We have a British Literature class together."

Ah "Honestly, I don't remember seeing you before, but there are about two hundred students in that class, so all the faces blurr with each other after a while"

"You are Elizabeth, right?"

I nod, shifting the weight from one leg to the other, uncomfortable, because his gaze has already lowered to my chest about ten times in the five seconds we've been talking.

Jimmy pauses as if he's trying to think of something else to say. I can't think of anything either; I'm horrible with small talk. If it was someone I was interested in, I would ask him about his classes, whether he has a job or not, or what kind of music he likes, but the only person that matters to me at this moment is Arthur and he hasn't appeared yet..

Then I'm looking for him in the crowd making myself feel like a real moron.

Truth be told, Diane isn't the only one who wonders what the hell I'm doing. I also ask myself. seriously, why am I so obsessed with that guy? He doesn't even know I exist. And, for a start, he is a college athlete. If that was it, I could already be involved with the famous Meliodas, for the love of God. At least he offered to go out with me.

And of course, the moment I think of Meliodas, he walks through the door.

I did not expect to see him tonight, so I immediately duck my head so he wouldn't notice me. Maybe if I concentrate enough I can blend in with the wall behind me and he won't know I'm here.

Luckily, Meliodas doesn't notice me. He stops to talk to a couple of guys and then walks quickly to the bar on the other side, where immediately half a dozen girls flutter their lashes and push their tits up to get his attention.

Beside me, Jimmy snorts.

"Oh my God. The 'superman of the campus' arrives and it's the same as always. What a pain, huh?"

I realise that he's also looking at Meliodas and the contempt on his face is unmistakable.

"Do you not like Meliodas?" I say dryly.

"Do you want the truth or the official version?"

"Lets go with the official version?"

"Meliodas is a member of this fraternity," Jimmy explains. "So technically that makes us 'brothers.'" He makes the gesture of quotation marks with his hands. "And we love ALL our brothers."

I have to smile.

"All right, so that's the official version. What is the truth?"

The music goes up so he leans closer to me. His lips are inches from my ear when he confesses:

"I can't stand that guy. his ego is bigger than this house."

Look at that, I've met my soulmate. Another person who doesn't worship the ground Meliodas walks on.

But the complicit smile I offer jimmy goes wrong as he clearly takes the wrong way

"So ... do you want to dance?" He asks, dragging the words out.

Not at all. But just when I open my mouth to say no, I glimpse a fragment of black colour out of the corner of my eye. It's the black T-shirt of Meliodas.

Shit. He has seen me and is heading towards us. Judging by his determined pace, he is ready for battle again.

"Sure," she lets out, grabbing Jimmy's hand anxiously. "Let's Dance."

A slow smile grows on his face.

Oh oh. Maybe I sounded too enthusiastic.

But it's too late to change my mind, because he's taking me to the dance floor. And just my luck: the song changes the moment we arrive. The Ramones have given way to a theme of Lady Gaga. And it's not a fast song, it's the slow version of "Poker Face." great.

Jimmy plants both hands on my hips.

A moment later, reluctantly, I grab his shoulders and began to swing with the music. It's all super uncomfortable, but at least i managed to avoid Meliodas, who's looking at us now with a frown and hands hooked in the loops of his faded blue jeans. A gesture that makes it obvious that he's annoyed.

When our eyes meet, I give him a half smile and a 'that's life for ya' gesture and he immediately glares as if he knows I'm dancing with Jimmy to avoid having to talk to him. then, a very pretty blonde touches his arm and the eye contact breaks.

Jimmy turns his head to see who I'm looking at.

"Do you know Meliodas?" his tone of voice sounds a little more than curious.

I shrug.

"he's in one of my classes."

"Are you friends?"

"No way"

"Good to know."

Meliodas and the blonde walk out of the room at that moment and I pat myself mentally on the back for the success of my evasion tactics.

"Does he live here with you?" God, this song is eternal, but I'm trying to have a conversation, because I feel it is my duty to finish this dance after having been so 'enthusiastic' about it.

"No, fuck, no," Jimmy replies. "He has a house off campus. He spends his time bragging about it, but I bet you it's his father who pays the rent."

I wrinkle my forehead.

"What makes you say that? Is his family rich or something?"

Jimmy seems surprised.

"Don't you know who his father is?"

"no. Should i?"

"Known as the Demon King." When the furrow of my forehead deepens, Jimmy explains it better. The forward of the Britannia demons. Two-time Stanley Cup champion. A hockey legend?"

The only hockey team I know anything about is the Camelot Blackhawks, and that's only because my father is an absolute fan and forces me to watch games with him. So, my knowledge of a man who played for the demons when, twenty years ago? is zero. But I'm not surprised to hear that Meliodas comes from the royalty of hockey. It shows that this attitude of believing himself superior to everyone comes from birth.

"I wonder why Meliodas didn't go to college somewhere else," I say politely.

"His father finished his professional career in Camelot," Jimmy explains. "I think the family decided to stay in britannia after he retired."

The song, thank God, comes to an end and I hurry to apologise saying I have to go to the bathroom. Jimmy makes me promise to dance with him again, then he winks and walks over to the beer pong table. Since I don't want him to know I've lied about the bathroom, I'm sticking with my bathroom story and leave the room to hang around the entrance hall, which is where Diane finds me a few minutes later.

"Hey! Are you having a good time?" Her eyes are bright and her cheeks are red, but I know she hasn't been drinking. She promised to stay sober and Diane never breaks her promises.

"I suppose. But I think I'm going home soon."

"No, you can't leave yet! I just saw you dancing with Jim Paulson. It seemed like you were having fun."

Seriously? I guess I'm a better actress than I thought.

"He's handsome," she adds with a look full of intention.

"Bah, he's not my type. Too posh."

"Well, I know someone who IS your type." Diane raises and lowers her brows before lowering her voice to a mocking whisper. "And do not turn around because he just walked through the door."

My heart takes off like a kite in a windstorm. Do not turn around? Do people not realise that saying that guarantees that the other person will turn around?

I turn my head to the front door and then immediately turn it back because, OH, GOD, Diane was right. Finally Arthur Pendragon has appeared.

And since the look I took had been too fleeting, I trust Diane to tell me what I've missed.

"Is he alone?" whisper.

"He's with some of his teammates," she whispers back. "None of them have brought a girl."

I do my best performance of a person who is talking quietly with her friend and who is not, at all, cast a look to the guy a few steps away. And it works, because Arthur and his friends pass Diane and me and their loud laughter is quickly swallowed by a flurry of music.

"You're red," Diane mocks.

"I know," I complain in a low voice. "Fuck, this crush is super unhealthy, Diane. Why do you allow me to embarrass myself like this?"

"Because I don't think it's unhealthy at all. And you don't have to be ashamed about it" Diane grabs my arm and starts to drag me back to the living room. The volume of the stereo is lower, but the buzz of the lively chatter continues to thump around the room.

"Seriously, Ellie, you're young and pretty, and I want you to fall in love. I don't care who it's with, as long as ... why is the captain of the hockey team watching you?"

I follow her surprised look and choke another groan out when the green eyes of Meliodas remain fixated on me.

"Because he's harassing me," I complain.

Her eyebrows shoot up.

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah. He failed Ethics and he knows that the exam went well for me. He is asking me to give him private lessons and the guy won't accept a no for an answer."

Diane releases a giggle.

"I think it's possible that you're the only girl who has ever rejected him in his life"

"If only the rest of the female population were as smart as me …"

i looked over Diane's shoulder to scan the room for Arthur; My pulse accelerates when I discover him next to the pool table. He wears black pants and a grey knit sweater, and his hair is dishevelled and falls over his forehead. God, I love that "I just rolled out of bed" style. He isn't as greasy as his colleagues, nor has he put on the jacket of the football team like the rest.

"Di, move that lovely ass and come over here!" King shouts from the ping-pong table. "I need a couple to play!" A pretty blush blooms on her cheeks.

Another wave of guilt hits me.

"You have fun" I tell her smiling "If you play beer pong you have to drink beer."

My friend firmly shakes her head.

"I promised you that I won't drink."

"I'm not going to stay here long anyway," I reply. "So there's no reason why you can't get a little drunk"

"But I want you to stay" she pouts.

"okay , how about this? I'll stay half an hour longer, but only if you allow yourself to actually have a good time. I know we made a deal but i'm letting you back out; I can't allow it anymore, Diane. Have fun"

I say every word very seriously; I really hate having to make diane take care of me like i'm a little girl every time we go out. It's not fair to her. And after two years in liones, I know that the time has come for me to let my guard down, at least a little.

"Come on, I want you to teach me those skills of yours in beer pong."

I grab her arm and she laughs as I direct her to where King and his friends are.

"Elizabeth!" King says enthusiastically. "Do you want to play?"

"Nope" I answer "I just come to encourage my best friend."

Diane joins King on one side of the table and for the next ten minutes I witness the most intense beer pong game in the universe. But the whole time I'm very aware of what Arthur is doing, he's talking to his teammates on the other side of the room.

After a while I walk away from the table because, this time, I really do need to go to the bathroom. There is one on the ground floor near the kitchen; There is a huge line and it takes ages for my turn. I do my things quickly and get out of the bathroom and of course hit a hard male chest.

"You should look where you're going" says a low voice.

My heart stops.

Arthur's purple eyes shine amused when he places his hand on my arm to help me balance. The moment he touches me, the heat burns my skin and causes a chill that bristles the hair on my body.

"I'm sorry" I stutter.

"It's fine." Smiling, he caresses his chest. "No harm done."

Suddenly I realize that there is no longer anyone waiting to use the bathroom. In the hall it's just Arthur and me and, my God, he's even nicer up close. He is also much taller than I thought and I have to raise my head to look him in the eyes.

"We have Ethics together, right?" He asks in that deep, sexy voice that he has.

I nod.

"I'm Arthur."

It is presented as if it were really possible that someone in liones didn't already know his name. But his modesty seems adorable to me.

"Elizabeth"

"How was your test?"

"I got a 10" i admit. "And you?"

"A 7."

I can't hide my surprise.

"Seriously? I guess we're the lucky ones. She failed everyone else"

"I think that makes us intelligent, not lucky."

His smile makes me melt. Seriously. I'm a puddle of drool on the floor, unable to look away from those magnetic eyes. And he smells wonderful like cinnamon and lemon. Would i be out of place if I stick my face to his neck and inhale?

Eh yes. I would be.

I try to think of something intelligent or interesting to say, but I'm too nervous to be witty right now. "So you play football, huh?"

He nods his head in agreement.

"I'm a receiver. You like?" A dimple appears on his chin. "The game, I mean."

I don't like it, but I guess I could lie and pretend I like his sport. It's just a risky step, because he could start talking about technical stuff and I do not know enough about football to have a conversation about the topic.

"Not much," I confess with a sigh. "I've seen a game or two, but the truth is, it's too slow for my liking. It gives me the feeling that you play five seconds, then someone blows a whistle and you stay waiting for hours until the next play begins."

Arthur laughs. his laugh is great. Serious and hoarse and I can even feel it in my toes. "Yes, I heard that complaint before. But when you're playing, it's different. It is much more intense than it seems. And if you are personally invested in a team or in certain players, the rules are caught much faster." i nod trying to look serious. "You should come to one of our games. I bet you'd have fun."

Oh Mother. "Did you just invite me to one of your games?"

"Eh, yes, maybe I can …"

"Dragon!" Interrupt a loud voice "We're up!"

We both turn to see how a blond giant pokes his head through the

lounge door. He is one of Arthur's teammates and seems extremely impatient.

"I'm coming," Arthur replies, then gives me a sad smile as he takes a step toward the bathroom. "um ... Big Joe and I are about to play a game of pool, but first I have to go to the bathroom. We talk later?"

"Sure." I have a relaxed tone of voice, but there is nothing relaxing in the way my heart accelerates.

As soon as Arthur closes the door behind him, I hurry back to the living room on shaky legs. I'm dying to tell Diane what just happened, but I can't. Upon entering the room, Meliodas blocks my way.

"Elie," he says enthusiastically. "You're the last person I expected to see here tonight."

As usual, his presence causes my guard to rise up.

"Yes? and?"

He shrugs.

"I did not think the sorority parties were your style."

"Well, you do not know me, remember? For all you know i could go to sorority parties every night."

"Lies. I would have seen you here before."

He crosses his arms over his chest, a posture that makes his biceps tense.

I see the lower part of a tattoo that appears from the sleeve of his shirt, but I can't see what it is, only that it's black and that it seems complex. Is that flames?

"Then, as for the private lessons… I thought that we should sit down to establish a date to meet"

Irritation shoots up my spine.

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Never."

"Well, you should start doing it, because I'm not going to teach you." I get distracted as Arthur walked back into the room, his slender body moves through the crowd as he makes his way to the pool table. He's halfway there when a brown-haired girl intercepts him. To my displeasure, he stops to talk to her.

"Come on, Ellie, help a poor kid out," Meliodas pleads.

Arthur laughs at something the girl says. In the same way he was laughing with me a minute ago. And when she touches his arm and comes up leaning on it, arthur doesn't back off.

"Look, if you do not want to commit for the entire semester, at least help me pass this partial. I'll owe you one."

Arthur leans toward the girl to whisper something in her ear. She laughs, her cheeks take on a pinkish tone and my heart plummets to the pit in my stomach. I was so sure we had, I do not know, a connection, but ... now you're flirting with another person?

"You're not even listening to me," Meliodas accuses me. "who are you looking at?"

I look away from Arthur and the brunette, but not fast enough.

Meliodas smiles when he realises where i was looking.

"Which one?" he questions.

"huh?"

He tilts his head towards Arthur and then moves it to the right where I see Jimmy talking to one of his brothers.

"Paulson or pendragon. Which of them do you want to buzz?"

"BUZZ?" my attention returns to meliodas. "Who says things like that?"

"Okay, want me to say it in other words? Which of them do you want to fuck, or shag, or roll in the sheets with? Or make love, if that's what you like?"

I grit my teeth. This guy is a complete asshole.

Since i don't answer, he answers for me.

"Pendragon." he decides "I saw you dancing with Paulson before and it is very clear that you didn't melt for him."

I neither confirm nor deny. Instead, I take a step away from him

"Good night, Meliodas."

"I hate to tell you, but it's not going to happen, Ellie. You are not his type."

The anger and shame flood my belly. Wow Did he really just say that?

"Thank you for the advice," i said coldly. "Now, if you'll excuse me …"

He tries to grab my arm, but I move forward pushing my way out and leave him behind.

I look for Diane quickly in the living room, but I stop short when I see her curling up with King on the couch. I don't want to interrupt them, so I turn on my heels and head for the front door.

My fingers are shaky when I write a message to Diane to let her know that I'm leaving. Meliodas' blunt affirmation, "you're not his type," resonates in my head like a depressing mantra.

The truth is that it is exactly what I needed to hear. So what if arthur talked to me in the hallway? Clearly it meant nothing because a moment later he turned around and flirted with another girl. It's time for me to face reality. Arthur and I are not going to happen, and it does not matter how much I want it to.

It was stupid to come here tonight.

Waves of regret pierce me as I leave the Sigma house toward the cool evening breeze. I regret not wearing a coat, but I didn't want to carry it all night and I thought I could deal with the October cold during the five seconds it takes to get from the taxi to the front door of my building.

Diane returns the message when I reach the porch. She offers to go out and keep me company until the taxi arrives, but I order her to stay with her boyfriend. Then I get the number of the taxi service for the campus; I'm about to dial when I hear my name. An exasperating variation of it, rather.

"Ellie. Wait!"

Jumping down the steps Meliodas reaches me immediately.

"Come on, wait." His hand grabs my shoulder.

I raise my shoulders to get rid of his hand and I turn around to look at him.

"What? Do you feel like insulting me a little more?"

"I didn't mean to insult you," he protests. "I was just informing you of a fact."

That hurts.

"wow. Thanks."

"Fuck." he seems frustrated "I insulted you again didn't I. I don't mean to, honest. I'm not trying to be a bastard, okay?"

"Of course that is not your intention. It's just what you are"

He has the nerve to smile, but his mood quickly fades.

"Look, I know that guy, okay? One of my roommates is a friend of

Pendragon, so he's been at my place a couple of times."

"I'm glad for you. So what's your point, because I'm not interested."

"Yes, you are." He sounds very sure of himself and I detest him for that. "The only thing I'm saying is that Pendragon likes a specific type of girl."

"Okay, I'm going to humour you for a while. Let's see, what is his type? And I'm not asking because I'm interested or anything like that, "I add hurriedly.

He just smiles

"Yeah. Of course not" He shrugs "he's been going to this uni how long?, almost two months? So far I've seen him making out with a cheerleader and two girls from the Kappa Beta sorority. Do you know what that tells me?"

"No, but what it says to me is that you waste too much time watching who the other guys go out with."

He ignores the taunt.

"It tells me that Pendragon is interested in girls with a certain social status."

I snort.

"If this is another offer to make me popular, It's not going to happen"

"Look, if you want to get Pendragon's attention, you have to do something drastic" He pauses. "So yes, I'm offering you a date with me again."

"Well, I reject it again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to call a taxi."

"You don't have to."

The screen of my phone has locked again for not using it, so I quickly type my password to unlock it.

"Seriously, it's not necessary," says Meliodas. "Can i take you home."

"I don't need anyone to take me home"

"Isn't that what taxis do. They take you where u need to go."

"Okay then I don't need YOU to take me" I correct.

"So you would prefer to pay ten dollars to go home before accepting that I would take you for free?"

His sarcastic comment hits the mark. Because yes, without a doubt I trust a taxi driver working for the campus to take me home more than i trust Meliodas to do it.

"I do not get in cars with strangers. The end"

Meliodas green eyes are narrowed

"I'm not going to try anything, Ellie. It's just taking you home."

"Go back to the party, Meliodas. Your fraternity brothers are probably wondering where you are."

"Believe me, they don't give a shit where I am. their only interest is finding a drunk girl to put their cock in to."

I don't hide my very obvious disgust

"God. You're disgusting, you know that right?"

"No, I'm just telling the truth. And I didn't say I'm looking for that. I do not need to get a woman drunk to sleep with me. They come to me sober and willing."

"Congratulations." I grunt when he snatches the phone from my hand. "Hey!"

To my astonishment, he turns the camera to his face and takes a picture.

"Why did you do that?"

"There you have it," he says, returning the phone to me. "If you want, send all your contacts a message with that sexy face to let them know that I'm taking you home. So, if you show up dead tomorrow, everyone will know who did it. And if you want, you can have your finger on the emergency call button all the time in case you have to call the police." He exhales a sigh of exasperation. "Well, can I, please, take you home now?"

Although I'm not thrilled with the idea of waiting outside for a taxi alone and without a coat, I try one last thing.

"How much have you drunk?"

"only half a beer."

I raise my eyebrows.

"My limit is one," he insists. "Tomorrow morning I have training."

My resistance crumbles before his sincere expression. I've heard a lot of rumours about Meliodas, but none that involve alcohol or drugs, and the campus taxi service is famous for taking their time to appear, so i guess I'm not going to die from spending five minutes in car with this guy. If he gets annoying, I can remain perfectly silent until i'm home.

Or, better yet, WHEN he gets annoying.

"Fine , you can you take me home. But that does not mean that I'm going to give you private lessons."

His smile is the epitome of self satisfaction.

"That we'll discuss in the car."


	6. Chapter 6

_**#Meliodas**_

Elizabeth Lyones is fond of a football player. I don't get it. But I've offended her once already tonight, so I know I have to be careful if I want to convince her.

I wait until were both in my Jeep with our seatbelts on before I ask my question.

"so, how long have you wanted to fuck… make love to Pendragon?"

she doesn't answer, but I can feel her murderous gaze on my face.

"It has to be a fairly recent thing, since he only moved here two months ago." I squeeze my lips. "Okay, let's assume it's been for a month."

still no answer.

I look at her and see that shes frowning even more, but even with that intimidating expression she's cute. She has one of the most interesting faces I've seen; her cheeks are perhaps too round and her lips are perhaps too full, but combined with her soft skin thats white as porcelain, her transparent blue eyes ... she looks almost like an angel. And that body ... Fuck, now that I've noticed her, I can not ignore her.

But I remind myself that I'm not taking her home with the hope of her throwing herself at me. I need Elizabeth too much to ruin everything by sleeping with her.

At the end of today's training, the coach took me aside and gave me ten minutes of talk about the importance of having good grades. Well, "talk" is a too generous description; his exact words were: 'get your grades up, or I put my foot up your ass so far that you will taste shoe polish in your mouth for the next ten years"

Being the smartass I am, I asked him if people were still using shoe polish and he responded with a series of colorful swear words before slamming the door.

I'm not exaggerating when I say hockey is my life, but I guess that's something that happens if your father is a fucking superstar. My old man had my future planned out for me when I was still in my mother's womb: learn to skate, learn to shoot, be a professional, the end. After all, my dear father has a reputation to maintain. You just have to think about how bad it would be if his only son did not become a professional hockey player.

And yes, what you detect is sarcasm. And here goes a confession: my father doesn't like me. No, rather, he detests me. The irony of all this is that the bastard thinks that everything I've done, I've done for him. The hard workouts, the muscles all over my body, killing myself twenty hours a week to improve my game. But he's arrogant enough to believe that I've been through all that for him. And he is wrong. I do it for myself. And to a lesser extent, I do it to win.

To be better than him.

I don't want to be misunderstood: I love hockey. I live for the roar of the crowd in the stands, the icy air that cools my face as I go full speed through the ice, the whistling of the puck as I launch a powerful shot that activates the siren. Hockey is pure adrenaline. It's emotion. It's ... even relaxing.

I look at Elizabeth again and I wonder how i can persuade her and suddenly I understand that I've been thinking about this Pendragon story in the wrong way. Because it's true, I do not think she's his type, but is he hers?

Arthur Pendragon stays strong and silent, but I've been with him enough times to know that everything is a performance. He uses that "mysterious boy" shit to attract the girls, and once they take the bait, he activates his charms and takes them directly to his bed.

So, what the hell does a sensible girl like Elizabeth doing drooling over a guy as popular as Arthur Pendragon?

"Is it just physical or do you really want to go out with him?" I ask curiously.

Her sigh of exasperation resounds in the car.

"Can we stop talking about this?"

I turn to the turn signal to turn right and we move away from the street of the fraternities, towards the road that leads to the campus.

"I was wrong about you," I say in a sincere tone.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I thought you were a direct person. With guts. Not someone who is too cowardly to admit that she fancies a guy."

I hide a smile when I see that she clenches her jaw. I'm not surprised to see that I've touched a nerve. I'm quite good at reading people and I am very convinced that Elizabeth Lyones is not the kind of woman who recoils from a challenge, not even from an indirect one.

"Well done. You win." It sounds like she's talking through clenched teeth. I can't help but be amused. But very, very little.

My smile comes out of hiding.

"see how hard was that?" I lift my foot off the accelerator when we approach a stop sign. "So why didn't you ask him out?"

A small wave of fear spreads through her voice.

"Why would I do that?"

"um, did you not just admit that you wanted him?"

"I don't even know him."

"How are you going to get to know him if you do not ask him to go out with you?"

She shifts in her seat, she is so uncomfortable that I can't help but laugh.

"You're afraid," I provoke, unable to hide the mirth in my voice.

"I'm not afraid," she says instantly. Then he pauses. "Well, maybe a little. He ... he makes me nervous, okay?"

It takes a little effort to hide my surprise. I didn't expect her to be so ... honest, I suppose. The vulnerability that radiates from her is a little disturbing. I might not have known her for a long time, but I've become accustomed to her sarcasm and self-confidence. The uncertainty I see in his face seems out of place.

"So you're going to wait until he asks you?"

she frowns in my direction.

"Let me guess, you think he won't do it."

"I KNOW he is not going to do it." I lightly shrug my shoulders. "The men love the hunt, Ellie. You are making it way too easy for him."

"I doubt it," she says dryly. "Especially considering that I haven't even told him I'm interested."

"Oh trust me, he knows."

That seems to startle her.

"No, he doesn't know."

"A man always knows when a woman is after him. Believe me, you don't need to say it out loud, he can pick up the vibes you keep sending him." I smile. "I mean come on, it only took me five seconds to realize."

"And you think that if I go out with you, magically he is going to take an interest in me?" Your tone of voice is skeptical, but at least its not hostile anymore, that seems to me a promising sign.

"It will certainly help the cause. Do you know what intrigues men, even more than hunting?"

"I'm dying to hear it."

"A woman who is out of reach. People want what they can't have." I can't help smiling "Here's an example: you want to get Arthur. Even though i just told you he wouldn't go for you"

"Well, if he can't be mine, then why should I bother going on a date with you with you?"

"Simple he can't be yours right NOW. That doesn't mean that he NEVER will be."

I arrive at another stop sign; It annoys me that we've almost reached the campus. Shit. I need more time to convince her. So I drive a little slower and hope she doesn't realize that I'm going 10 miles below the limit.

"Trust me, Ellie, if you show up holding my arm, he'll notice." I stop and pretend to be thinking of something. "Look, there's a party next Saturday and your Loverboy will be there."

"rule number one: do not call him that. And rule number two: how do you know where he's going to go?" she asks with suspicion.

"Because it's our beloved zeldris's birthday party. Do you know who it is? The quarterback. The whole team will be there." I shrug "And us too."

"really. And what happens when we get there?"

she is acting like it's nothing, but I know that I have her exactly where I want her.

"We talk to people, we have a few beers. I'll introduce you there as my date. The girls will want to kill you. The guys will wonder who you are and why you haven't been in their sights before. Pendragon will want to know too, but we'll ignore him."

"And why would we do something like that?"

"Because that will drive him mad. And it will make you look even more unattainable."

She bites her lip. I wonder if she knows how easy it is to read her emotions. Annoyed, angry, shame. Her blue eyes reveal everything and it fascinates me. I make a huge effort to mask what I feel, a lesson I learned from childhood, but Elizabeth's face is an open book. It's refreshing.

"You have a lot of confidence in yourself," she finally says. "Do you really think you're so great that the mere fact of going to a party with you is going to make me a celebrity?"

"Yes." I'm not being arrogant, just sincere. "After two years in this uni, I know the reputation that I have."

Although to be honest, sometimes I don't feel half as cool as people think I am, and I'm pretty sure that if any of them took the time to get to know me for real, they would probably change their opinion. It's like that pond I used to skate on when I was little. From a distance, the ice seemed super bright and smooth, until you got close enough and, suddenly, all the irregular edges and the marks of criss-crossed skates became visible.

That's me, I suppose. Covered with skate marks that nobody seems to ever notice. God, it's clear that tonight I'm feeling too philosophical.

At my side, Elizabeth has remained silent, and bites her lip while considering my proposal.

For a fraction of a second, I almost tell her to forget it. It's disturbing that this girl cares what an asshole like Pendragon thinks of her. Elizabeth's intelligence and sharp tongue would be wasted on a guy like that. But then I think about my team and all the guys that count on me and I force myself to ignore my doubts.

"Think on it" he persuaded. "The make-up exam is Friday next week, which gives us a week and a half to study. I do the exam and then, on Saturday night we go to Zeldris's party and show Loverboy how sexy and desirable you are. He will not be able to resist you, trust me."

"rule number one: do not call him that. And number three: stop telling me to trust you. I don't even know you" But in spite of her complaints, I can see that she has surrendered "Look. I can't promise to teach you during the whole semester. Really, I don't have time."

"It will only be this week," I promise.

"Doubtful."

I don't blame her for doubting me. The truth is that I'm already thinking about how I can convince her to help me out for the duration of Vivian's course, but ... battle to battle.

"So, do we have a deal?"

Elizabeth remains silent, but just when I lose hope, she sighs and says:

"Fine. We have a deal."

JACKPOT!

A part of me is really surprised that i've managed to break her down. I've been nagging her for what seems like an eternity, and now that I've won, it's almost feels like i'm losing something. I don't have a clue what the hell that means.

But whatever, I give myself a mental pat on the back when we reach the parking lot behind the residences.

"what residence are you in?" I ask as I put the Jeep in park.

"In the Caine Residence."

"I'll walk you up" I go to unbuckle my seatbelt, but she shakes her head.

"I'm fine. I don't need a bodyguard." she shows me her cell phone. "All ready to dial 112, remember?"

A brief silence falls on us.

"Okay" i say extending my hand. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

she stares at my hand as if i had some kind of deadly disease. I roll my eyes and withdraw the gesture.

"Tomorrow I work until eight" she says. "We can see each other when it's over. You don't live in the campus residence, right?"

"No, but I can come here."

she pales as if i had just offered to shave her head.

"So that people think we're friends? Not a chance. Send me a message with your address. I'll meet you at your place."

I have never met anyone who feels hates me so much because of my popularity. And I have no idea how to take it. I think i might actually like it. weird

"If I go to yours, you will become the most popular girl of your residence, you know."

"Send me a message with your address," she says firmly.

"Yes, mam". I smile. "See you tomorrow night."

All I get in return is a look of bad temper and a flash of her profile when she turns to open the door. she jumps out of the car without saying a word, then, reluctantly, taps the passenger window.

Suppressing a smile, I press the button to lower the window.

"forgot something?" I mock.

"Thank you for bringing me home" she says demurely, suppressing a weak smile.

And then she leaves, her green dress flaring in the night breeze as she hurries towards the dark buildings.


	7. Chapter 7

**#** _ **Elizabeth**_

Normally I'm proud to have my head screwed on right and make the right decisions, but did I have to agree to give private lessons to the captain of the hockey team, the great Meliodas? How could i have been so stupid?

I keep cursing myself for it while driving home the next night. When Meliodas cornered me at the Sigma fraternity party, my whole intention was to tell him to fuck off and leave me alone, but then he dangled Arthur in front of my nose like bait, and I fell for it hook line and sinker

I think it's about time to face the sad truth: when it comes to Arthur Pendragon, my common sense is reduced to zero. last night I left the party with the sole purpose of forgetting about him, and instead, I let Meliodas fill me with the most destructive emotion known to mankind: hope.

Hope that Arthur will notice me. Hope he might want to be with me. Hope to have, finally, found someone who can make me FEEL something.

It's shameful how absolutely I'm obsessed with that guy.

I park my borrowed car behind the Meliodas Jeep, next to a shiny black pick-up, but I leave the engine running. I keep wondering what my former psychologist would think if he knew the deal i made with Meliodas. I would like to think that he would be against it, but Drole was totally in favor of empowering people. And he always encouraged me to take control of my life and take advantage of any opportunity that could help me overcome the violation i felt.

So here's the thing: I've dated two guys after the rape. I slept with both. And none of them made me feel as horny and full of desire as Arthur Pendragon with a single glance of his eyes.

Drole would tell me that it is an opportunity that is worth exploring.

Meliodas's townhouse is two stories, with a white exterior, stairs leading up to a porch and a front garden that is surprisingly well kept. Despite my reluctance, I force myself out of the car and toward the door. I hear rock music coming from inside the house. A part of me prays that no one hears the doorbell, but muffled footsteps are heard behind the door, then it opens and I find myself looking at a tall guy with blond hair interspersed with a greenish tip and a chiselled face that looks straight out of the cover of a magazine.

"uh ... hey, hi!" He says as he looks me up and down. "My birthday isn't until next week, but if you're a gift for my birthday, I'm not complaining, babe".

Of course. I should have known that Meliodas would share a flat with someone as unpleasant as him.

I grip the strap of my oversize messenger bag, wondering if I could get back to my car before Meliodas knows I'm here, but my cowardly plan gets busted when he shows up at the door. He's barefoot, dressed in frayed jeans and a ragged gray T-shirt. His hair is wet, as if he just came out of the shower.

"Hey, Ellie," he says happily. "You're late."

"I told you quarter past eight. It's quarter past eight." I stare coldly at Mister model. "And if you were implying that I am a prostitute, I'm insulted."

"Did you think she was a prostitute?" Meliodas turns to look at his friend. "She's my private Ethics teacher, man. Show a little respect"

"I didn't think she was a whore, I thought she was a stripper," the blonde replies, as if that fixes it. "Fuck, she's in uniform, for God's sake."

ok he might have point. My waitress uniform is not exactly subtle.

"By the way, I want a stripper for my birthday" mr. model announces. "I just decided right now. Get to work people."

"I'll make a couple of calls," Meliodas promises, but the second his friend leaves, he confesses, "We're not going to get him a stripper. We pulled our money to get him a new iPod. His dropped in the pond behind the baltra Residence.

I release a slight giggle and Meliodas pounces on it like a panther.

"wow, was that a laugh? I didn't think you were capable of it. Can laugh again and let me record it?"

"I laugh all the time." I pause. "Especially when making fun of you."

He makes a gesture of pain and pretends i shot him in the chest.

"You are terrible for a guy's ego, you know that?"

I snort, shaking my head and close the door behind me.

"We'll go to my room" he says.

Shit. i really don't want to teach him in his bedroom. Despite it probably being a wet dream of all the girls in the university, I'm worried about being alone with him.

"Hey Captain, is that your teacher?" A male voice shouts when we go through what I gather is the living room. "Hey, teach come here! We have to have a little talk you and me." i quickly flash an alarmed look at Meliodas, but he just smiles and guides me in the door. The living room is typical of a "bachelor house", with its two L-shaped leather sofas, a complex music and video system and a coffee table full of empty beer bottles. A white-haired boy with scary looking red eyes gets up from the couch. He is as handsome as Meliodas and mr model, and by the way he walks towards me, he is fully aware of his appeal.

"Listen up," Red Eyes announces in a stern voice. "My boy needs to get a 10 in this test. You'd better make that happen."

My lips thin.

"Or what?"

"Or I will get very, very angry." His gaze sweeps slowly and deliberately over my body, stopping in my chest before going up. "And you do not want me to get angry, do you, princess?"

Meliodas snorts.

"Don't waste your time, moron. she is immune to flirting. Believe me, I've tried." He turns to me. "This is Ban. Ban, Ellie."

"Elizabeth" I correct with ease.

Ban thinks about it before shaking his head.

"Naah. I like Ellie."

"You've already met Howzer in the living room and that's Gilthunder," Meliodas adds, pointing to the pink haired boy lying on the sofa, who, "surprise, surprise," is as handsome as the others.

I wonder if one of the requirements to live in this house is to be super good looking. but I don't think I'll ever ask Meliodas. his ego is big enough already.

"What's up, Ellie" Gilthunder says loudly.

I stifle a sigh. Wonderful. I guess to them I'm Ellie, great.

"Ellie is the star of the Christmas recital," Meliodas tells his friends.

"Winter exhibition concert " I complain.

"Didn't i say that?" He waves a hand dismissing it. "Well, let's get on with this shit. later, guys."

I follow Meliodas up the narrow staircase to the second floor. His room is at the end of the corridor, and i guess due to the size and the private bathroom, it must be the master bedroom.

"Do you mind if I change?" I ask awkwardly. "I have my clothes in the bag."

He drops on the edge of the giant bed and leans back on his elbows.

"Please go ahead. I'll just sit here and enjoy the show."

I clench my teeth.

"I'll change in the bathroom."

"That's no fun."

"None of this is fun," I reply.

The bathroom is much cleaner than I expected and a faint trace of woodsy-smelling aftershave floats in the air. I change quickly in to yoga pants and a black sweater, I quickly put my hair in a ponytail and put the uniform in the messenger bag.

Meliodas is still on the bed when I go back into the room. He is so absorbed in his cell phone that he doesn't even look up when I throw a pile of books on the bed.

"To quote you: are you ready for this shit?" I say sarcastically.

He talks in a distracted tone.

"Yeah. One second." His long fingers type a message and then he throws the phone on the mattress. "sorry. you have all my attention."

My options for sitting are limited. There's a desk under the window, but the chair is buried under a mountain of clothes. The same thing with the armchair in the corner of the room. The floor is made of wood and it looks really uncomfortable. And the Bed. nowhere else.

Reluctantly I sit cross-legged on the mattress.

"Well, I think we should go through the whole theory first. First we will make sure that you know the most important points of each philosopher and then we'll begin to apply the theories to the list of conflicts and moral dilemmas."

"Sounds good."

"Let's start with Kant. His ethics is quite simple."

I open the folder of texts that the teacher gave us at the beginning of the course and look in the section with all the information on Immanuel Kant. Meliodas slides his huge body to the headboard of the bed and rests his head on the wooden frame, letting out a deep sigh when i drop the texts in his lap.

"Read" I ordered him.

"Aloud?"

"Exactly. And when you're finished, I want you to summarize what you've read. Do you think you can do that?"

There is a silence, and then his lower lip begins to tremble.

"Maybe this is not a good time to tell you, but ... I can't read."

I'm speechless. Shit. that can't be true ...

Meliodas lets out a laugh.

"I'm kidding." Then he frowns. "You really thought i couldn't read?! Fuck, Ellie …"

I offer a sweet smile.

"It wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest"

But Meliodas does end up surprising me. Not only does he read the material with a soft tone, but he begins to summarize Kant's Categorical Imperative almost word for word.

"Do you have a photographic memory or something?" I ask.

"nope. I'm good with the data." He shrugs. "It's just that I find it hard to apply the theory to moral conflicts."

I give him a break.

"You know what I think? This monumental bullshit. How can we know what these philosophers, who have been dead for years, would think about the hypothetical cases that Vivian gives to us? We don't know. maybe they would have evaluated each case individually. What is right or wrong can't be analyzed as black and white. It's much more complex than… "

Meliodas' phone vibrates.

"Shit, wait a sec" He looks at the screen, frowns, and sends another message. "Sorry, what did you say?"

The next twenty minutes were spent reviewing the key points of Kant's ethics.

Meliodas sends about five more messages during that time.

"God" i exploded. "Am I going to have to confiscate that thing?"

"I'm sorry," he says for the umpteenth time. "I'll put it on silent."

Of course that doesn't fix anything, because he leaves the phone on his texts and the stupid phone lights up every time a new message is received.

"So, basically, logic is the backbone of Kants ethics…" I pause when the phone's screen flickers again. "This is ridiculous. Who is sending you messages constantly?"

"No one."

"Nobody?, bullshit." I pick up the phone and I hit the message icon. There's no name, only a number, but you don't have to be a genius to understand that the messages are from a girl. Unless there's a guy out there who wants to "lick Meliodas everywhere."

"Are you doing sexting during your private class? Seriously?"

He only sighs.

"I'm not sexting. She is"

"So she's to blame, really?"

"Read my answers" he insists. "I keep telling her I'm busy. It's not my fault that she can't understand the meaning of not right now".

I look at the whole conversation and discover that he's telling the truth. All the messages he's sent in the last thirty minutes carry the words "busy" and "study" and "we talk later".

With a sigh, I wait for the touchpad to appear and start typing. Meliodas protests and tries to take the phone out of my hand, but he's too late. I have already hit "send".

"There you go," she said. "Case closed."

"I swear to God, Ellie, what if…" he trails off while reading the message.

~I am the private teacher of Meliodas. You're distracting him. We finished in thirty minutes. I'm sure you can keep the zipper on your pants closed until then.~

Meliodas looks me in the eyes and laughs so hard that I can not help but crack a smile.

"It should be more effective than your vague 'leave me alone' don't you think?"

He laughs again.

"There is no doubt."

"Well i hope that silences your girlfriend for a while."

"She is not my girlfriend. She's just a slut that i banged last year…"

"slut?" I repeat with horror. "You're a pig is that honestly what you call women?"

"When a woman is only interested in sleeping with you so she can show off in front of all her friends that she's banged a hockey player… Yeah, that's what we call them" he says with some bitterness in his voice. "anyway, i'm the one that's being treated like an object in this case."

"sure. whatever makes you sleep at night…" I lift up the textbook. "Let's move to Utilitarianism. For now, we will focus on Bentham."

Later, I ask him questions about the two philosophers we've discussed tonight and I am glad when I see he answers everything correctly, including the tricky questions I throw at him. wow. The great Meliodas is not as stupid as i thought.

When our time is up, I am convinced that he not only has all the information memorized but he really understood it, it seems that philosophical ideas have finally gotten though that think skull of his.

"Tomorrow we'll tackle Postmodernism." i sigh. "Which, in my humble opinion, is probably the most convoluted train of thought in the history of mankind. I have rehearsals until six, but after that I'm free."

Meliodas nods.

"I finish training seven. So what do you think of eight o'clock?"

"Sounds good" I put the books in my bag and go into the bathroom to pee before going on the road. When I come out, I find that Meliodas is looking through the music I have on my iPod.

"Have you been going through my bag?" I exclaimed. Seriously?

"The iPod was hanging out the front pocket," he protests. "I was curious to see what you had." His green eyes remain glued to the screen as he begins to read the names out loud. "Etta James, Adele, Queen, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha, Beatles… damn these are seriously shit." He suddenly shakes his head, surprised. "Hey, did you know you have One Direction here?"

"Not seriously?" Read sarcasm. "It must have downloaded itself."

"I think I just lost all respect for you. You're supposed to graduate in music."

I tear the iPod out of my hands and put it in my bag.

"One Direction has great harmonies."

"Totally disagree." He raises his chin decisively. "I'm going to make you a playlist. It is clear that you need to learn the difference between good music and shitty music."

I speak through clenched teeth.

"See you tomorrow."

Meliodas' tone sounds worried as he turns to the ipad on his desk.

"What do you think of Lynyrd Skynyrd? Or are you just hot for groups where the boys co-ordinate the clothes they wear?"

"Good night, Meliodas."

When I leave the room I feel like pulling my hair out. I can not believe I said yes to a week and a half of this.

God, help me.


	8. Chapter 8

# _**Elizabeth**_

Diane calls me the next night as i'm leaving the Music building, fuming after a new and disastrous rehearsal with Gowther.

"hey!" He says when she hears my sharp tone of voice. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Gowther, is what's wrong with me" I answer angrily. "The rehearsal was an absolute nightmare."

"As bad as dealing with melodies?"

"Worse. I'm too pissed off to talk about what happened, so I don't even try. I want to kill him in his sleep, Di. No, scratch that, I want to kill him when he's awake so he can see the happiness on my face while I'm doing it."

Her laughter tickles my ear.

"Do you want to vent during a dinner?"

"I can't. I have to see Meliodas tonight." another meeting that I can't be bothered with. All I want to do now is take a shower and watch TV, but knowing Meliodas, he'll just harass and annoy me if I dare to cancel our class.

"I still can't believe you gave in with the private classes," Diane says in amazement. "He must be a very persuasive guy."

"Something like that" I answer without giving more details.

I haven't told my friend about the agreement I have with Meliodas, especially as I want to delay the inevitable mockery that will come when she finds out how desperate I am to get Arthur to notice me. I know that I can't hide the truth from her forever and she will definitely ask questions when she finds out that i'm going to a party with Meliodas. But I'm sure that by then I'll come up with a good excuse.

There are some things that are too embarrassing to admit, even to your best friend.

"How much is he paying you?" she asks curiously.

Like an imbecile, I say the first number that comes to mind.

"Eh ... sixty."

"Sixty dollars an hour ?! My God! That's crazy. You better invite me to have a good sirloin steak dinner when your done." A dinner with sirloin?

Shit. That for me is like three shifts in the restaurant. You see, this is why people should never lie. It always comes back and bites you on the ass.

"Of course," I say softly. "But hey, I have to go. I didn't bring Gelda's car tonight so I had to call a taxi. See you in a couple of hours."

The taxi from the campus takes me to Meliodas' house and I make a reservation to be picked up in an hour and a half. Meliodas told me to just walk in when he called a few hours ago, because apparently no one hears the bell with the TV or the music at full volume. but the house is silent when I enter.

"Meliodas?" I call from the entrance.

"Up stairs!" comes a muffled answer.

I meet him in his room, and he's dressed in sweatpants and a white tank top that shows his perfectly formed biceps and strong forearms. I can't deny that his body is… attractive. He's ripped, but not overly so like a football defence. He's the lean and slender muscled type. His sleeveless shirt reveals the tattoo on his upper right arm: black flames that climb up to his shoulder and surround his biceps.

"hey. Where are your roommates?"

"It's Friday night, where do you think they are? Partying." His tone shows a certain melancholy. He takes out the class texts from the backpack on the floor.

"And you prefer to study," I comment. "I do not know if I should be impressed or if I should feel sorry for you."

"I don't party during the season, Ellie. I already told you that."

Yes he had told me, but the truth is that I hadn't believed him.

We settle in bed and immediately start to work, but every time

that Meliodas uses a few minutes to think on a certain topic, my head travels back to the afternoon rehearsal. I'm still seething with anger and, I'm ashamed to admit it but my bad mood seeps through to the lesson. I'm grumpy and I'm being much harder on meliodas than necessary when he misinterprets the texts.

"It's not that complicated!" i exclaimed when he does not understand it for the third time. "He's saying that…"

"Okay, I understand," he interrupts me, wrinkling his forehead with irritation. "You don't have to be a bitch to me you know"

"Sorry." I close my eyes briefly to calm down. "Let's move on to the next philosopher. We will come back to Foucault at the end."

Meliodas frowns.

"We're not doing anything until you tell me why you've been barking at me since you showed up. What, Loverboy ignored you in the yard or something?"

His sarcasm only intensifies my anger.

"Don't…"

"again with the rule?"

"God. You're the worst. Read this chapter, will you?"

"I'm not going to read shit." he crosses his arms stubbornly. "Look, there is an easy way to end this bitchy attitude of yours. All you have to do is tell me why you are pissed; I tell you that it is a totally stupid reason, and then we can study in peace."

I've underestimated Meliodas' stubbornness again. I should have learned my lesson considering that his hardheadedness has surpassed mine on more than one occasion. Not that I particularly want to confide in him, but my argument with Gowther is like a black cloud over my head and I need to get rid of the stormy energy before it swallows me whole.

"He wants a choir!" i shout

Meliodas flinches

"Who wants a choir?"

"My partner in duet," I say sombrely. "Also known as 'the bane of my existence'. I swear, if I wasn't afraid to break my hand, I would punch him in his stupid face."

"Do you want me to teach you how to fight?" Meliodas squeezes his lips together as if he's trying not to laugh.

"I'm tempted to say yes. Seriously, it's impossible to work with this guy. The song is fantastic, but all he does is pick and criticise, every microscopic detail. The key, the tempo, the arrangements, even the clothes we are going to be wearing…"

"And why does he want a choir?"

"I don't know, Gowther wants a choir to accompany us in the last chorus. A fucking choir! We have been rehearsing this song for WEEKS, Meliodas. It was supposed to be something simple, just the two of us showing our voices ... And suddenly he wants to make a big production?"

"He sounds like a diva."

"that he is. I'd love to rip his head off." My anger is so monumental that it clogs my throat and makes my hands tremble. "And on top of that, if that was not exasperating enough, two minutes before the rehearsal ends, he decides that we should change the arrangement."

"What wrong with the arrangement?"

"Nothing. There is nothing wrong with the arrangement. And Guila, the girl who wrote the fucking song, is just sitting there not saying a damn thing! I don't know if she's afraid of Gowther, if she's in love with him, or what the hell is going on, but she doesn't help at all. Whenever we start to fight, she keeps quiet, when what she should be doing is expressing her opinion and try to solve the problem."

Meliodas purses his lips. It is similar to what my grandmother does when she is absorbed in her thoughts. It's adorable, really. But he would probably kill me if I told him he reminds me of my grandmother.

"What you think?" I ask when he doesn't speak.

"I want to hear the song."

Surprise floods me.

"What? Why?"

"Because you've been prattling on that bloody song since the moment I met you."

"this is the first time I'm bringing up the subject!"

He responds again by moving his hand impatiently. I'm starting to suspect that he does it a lot.

"Well, I want to hear it. If this girl, Guila, doesn't have what it takes to make a valid criticism, I'll do it." He shrugs. "Maybe your partner in the duet, what was his name?"

"Gowther."

"Maybe Gowther is right and you're too stubborn to see it."

"Believe me, he is not right."

"Well, in that case, let me be the judge. Sing the two versions of the song for me, as it is now and the way Gowther wants it to be. I'll tell you what I think. You play something, don't you?"

I wrinkle my forehead confused.

Meliodas snorts and shakes his head.

"Instruments."

"oh Yeah. Piano and guitar… Why?"

"I'll be right back"

He leaves the room and i listen to the sound of his footsteps in the corridor, followed by the squeak of a door opening. He comes back with an acoustic guitar in his hand.

"It's Gil's," he explains. "he won't care if you use it".

I grit my teeth.

"I'm not going to sing for you."

"Why not? Do you have stage fright or something?"

"Don't be stupid. I just have better things to do." I give him a look full of meaning. "Helping you pass the partial exam for example".

"We've almost finished with Postmodernism. All the difficult questions begin in the next lesson." His voice acquires a teasing note. "Come on… we have time. Let me hear it."

Then he pulls out that child like smile and i cave. The guy has mastered the look of an innocent child perfectly. Regardless of the teasing smile, I know that Meliodas will just annoy the life out of me all night if I don't agree to sing. So I take the guitar and I prop it on my lap, testing out the strings. It's tuned, the sound is a bit more metallic than the acoustic I have at home, but it sounds great.

Meliodas climbs onto the bed and leans back, with his head resting on a mountain of pillows. I've never met anyone who sleeps with so many pillows.

"All right," I say. "This is how we are doing it now. Imagine that there is a guy who joins me in the first chorus and then sings the second verse."

I know a few singers who are too shy to sing in front of strangers, but I've never had that problem. Since I was a child, music has always been an escape for me. When I sing, the world disappears. Where it's just me, the music and a deep sense of serenity that I have never been able to find anywhere else.

I take a breath, play the initial chords and start singing. I don't look at Meliodas because I'm already in another place, lost in the melody and in the words, totally focused on the sound of my voice and the resonance of the guitar. I love this song. Really. It's disturbing in its beauty, and even without the intense baritone voice of Gowther complimenting mine, it has the same strength, the same heartbreaking emotion that Gila has poured into the lyrics. Almost immediately, my head clears and my heart seems lighter. I feel complete again, because music makes me feel that way, just like it did after the rape. When the memories were too overwhelming or painful, I would sit at the piano or pick up my guitar, and I understood that i could always find happiness around me.

A few minutes later, the final note remains in the air like a trail of sweet perfume and I come back to myself. I look at Meliodas, but his face doesn't show any emotion. I don't know what i expected him to do. Congratulate me? Make fun of me?

But what I did not expect was complete silence.

"Do you want to hear Gowther's version?" I say to cover my self doubt.

He nods his head in agreement. That's all. A quick nod and nothing else.

The in expressiveness of his face worries me, so I choose, this time, to close my eyes when I sing. I change the bridge of the song where Gowther insisted it should be, I add a second chorus as he said and, honestly, I do not think I'm being partial when I say I prefer the original. This second version becomes heavy and the extra chorus is left over.

To my surprise, once I'm finished, Meliodas agrees with me.

"It's too long when you do it like that," he says hoarsely.

"Yeah? I'm happy to hear you agree. God knows that Guila can't say what she thinks in front of Gowther."

"And forget the choir. you don't need it. Come on, I don't even think you need Gowther!" he shakes his head, stunned. "Your voice is… fuck, Ellie, it's beautiful."

My cheeks get hot.

"you think?"

His passionate expression tells me that he's being completely serious.

"Sing another song" he orders me.

"Um… What do you want to hear?"

"Whatever. I don't care." I am surprised by the intensity of his voice, by the emotion that now shines in her green eyes. "I need to hear you sing again."

Wow. Throughout my life, people have told me that I have talent, but apart from my parents, nobody had ever begged me to sing to them before.

"Please," he says in a low voice.

And then I sing. This time a song written by me, but its still too raw so I end up changing to another. I sing Stand By Me. It's my mother's favourite song, the song I sing every year for her birthday, and the memories take me to that quiet place again.

Halfway through song, Meliodas' eyes flutter and close. I watch the steady rise and fall of his chest as my voice cracks from the emotion that hides in the lyrics. when my gaze rises to his face and I notice a small white scar on his chin. I wonder how it happened. Playing hockey? An accident as a child?

His eyes remain closed for the rest of the song, and when I play the last chord, I think he might be asleep. I let the last note disappear and release the guitar. Meliodas' eyes open suddenly before I can get off the bed.

"Oh your awake." I swallow. "I thought you were sleeping."

He sits up and says "Where did you learn to sing like that?" his tone of voice wrought with genuine astonishment.

I shrug my shoulders awkwardly. Unlike Gowther, I'm too modest to praise my skills.

"I don't know. It's just something I've always been able to do."

"Have you gone to classes?"

I shake my head.

"So one day you opened your mouth and ... and THAT come out?"

A laugh escapes me.

"You look like my parents. They used to say that they were given the wrong baby in the hospital when I was born. Nobody in my family can even hold a note. They still don't know where the musical gene comes from."

"You have to sign an autograph for me. So, when you win a Grammy, I can sell it on eBay and get me a bunch of money."

I let out a sigh.

"The music business is very difficult. It is possible that I'll crash and burn if I try."

"You won't, go for it." The conviction resonates in his voice. "And by the way, I think you're making a mistake singing a duet at the concert. You should be alone on stage. Seriously, if you sit there, all their attention on you, and you sing as you just did now ... The whole audience is going to have chills."

I think Meliodas could be right. Not about the chills, but that I made a mistake getting together with Gowther.

"Well, it's too late. I've already committed to it."

"You can always back out" he suggests.

"No way. That would make me a bitch."

"I'm just saying that if you pull out now, you still have time to prepare a solo song. If you wait too long, you'll be screwed."

"I can't do it." I look at him defiantly. "Would you leave your teammates hanging when they counted on you?"

He answers without hesitation.

"Never."

"So, what makes you think I would do it?"

"Gowther is not your teammate," he says softly. "Apparently, he's been working exclusively against you from the beginning."

Once again I'm afraid he's right, but the truth is that it's too late to make a change. I'm committed to the duet and now I have to move forward with him.

"I'll sing with him," I say firmly. And my word has value. I look at Meliodas' alarm clock and curse when I realise what time it is. "I have to go. My taxi is probably waiting outside." I get out of bed quickly. "I have to go pee before i leave."

He releases a chuckle

"Too much information."

"People pee, Mel. deal with it"

When I leave the bathroom a minute later, Meliodas has the most innocent expression in the planet on his face . So, of course, I instantly distrust him. I look at the books scattered on the bed, then I look at my coat and purse that I left on the floor. Nothing seems out of place.

"What have you done?" I demand.

"Nothing," he says calmly. "By the way, I have a match tomorrow night, so our next class will have to be Sunday. Do you think that's OK? In the afternoon?"

"No problem," I answer, but I still can't ignore the suspicion that he is up to something.

But it's not until I enter my room at the residence fifteen minutes later, that i discover my suspicions were justified. I open my mouth wide with indignation when an SMS from Meliodas comes in.

Him: I confess, I deleted all the One Direction tracks from your iPod when you were in the bathroom. You're welcome.

Me: You what?! I am going to kiss you!

Him: With tongue?

It takes me a second to realise what has happened and I totally die of embarrassment.

Me: Kill! I meant to KILL. fucking auto-correct.

He: suuurree. Now we blame the auto-correct.

Me: it's true!

Him: I think someone wants to kiss me ...

Me: Bull shit. night Mel.

He: Sure you don't want to come back? So we can exercise our tongues a little ...

Me: Yuk. Never.

Him: Ya, ya. PS: look at your email. You have a zip with music. Good music.

Me: i'll be sure to put it straight to the bin.

I smile to myself while sending the message and Diane chooses just that moment to enter my room.

"Who are you texting while smiling like that?" she's drinking one of her unpleasant juices and the straw comes out of his mouth when he screams. "shit! Is it Arthur?"

"Naah, its only Meliodas. He is behaving like an idiot, as usual."

"what? Are you friends now?" she mocks.

I hesitate. I'm about to deny it, but it doesn't seem right when I remember that I've spent the last two hours confessing my problems with Gowther to Meliodas and then singing songs to him. And to be honest, despite how unbearable he is sometimes, Meliodas isn't as bad as i thought.

So I return a smile of slight repentance and say:

"Yes. I guess we are. Kind of"


	9. Chapter 9

_**#Meliodas**_

Monspeet is a beast. I'm talking about a guy weighing in at one hundred at sixty-five pounds of pure power, and the kind of speed and precision that will lead him to sign a serious contract with a team of the National Hockey League in the future. Well, only if the league is willing to ignore all the time he spends in the penalty box. We are in the second half and Monspeet has already had three penalties; one of them results in a goal, courtesy of Ban, who then goes to the penalty box to make a gesture of bravado to Monspeet. Big mistake, because now Monspeet is back on the ice and is hungry for revenge.

he hits me against the fence with such force that it shakes every bone in my body, but luckily I pass the puck and shake off the stars around my head in time to see Gil shoot, with a slap shot, towards the Edinburgh goalkeeper. The marker lights up and neither the cheers or boos of the crowd diminish the sense of victory that runs through my veins. The games away from home are never as stimulating as those played at home, but I feed on the energy of the crowd, even when it is negative.

When the bell signals the end of the first half, we go to the locker room winning 2-0 against Edinburgh. The whole team is hyped up, but Coach Dreyfus doesn't allow us to celebrate. It doesn't matter that we're winning, he never lets us forget what we're doing wrong.

"Howzer!" he shouts. "You're letting 34 push you around like a rag doll! And you" the coach looks at one of our second-year defenders. You've let them get away TWICE! Your job is to be the shadow of those assholes. did you see the blow that Ban got in at the start of the second half? I'm expecting that kind of aggression from you, Renaud. I do not want to see anymore more kitten hits. hit them like a lion, kid!"

When the coach goes to the other end of the locker room to dole out more criticism, Ban and I exchange smiles. dreyfus is hard as shit, but he's very good at his job. Congratulates when the praise is deserved, but most of the time, it pushes us hard and makes us better.

"Wow that was one hell of a hit he gave you." Gil gives me a sympathetic look as I lift my shirt to carefully examine my left side.

Monspeet hit me like a ton of bricks and I can already see how my skin acquires a bluish hue. It's going to leave me with hell of a bruise.

"I'll survive," I reply with a shrug.

The coach shouts to point out that it's time to go back to the ice; we take off the blade protectors and form a line in the tunnel.

When I go out on the ice, I can feel his gaze on me. I don't look for him, but I know that if I do, I'll find him: my father, sitting in his usual seat at the top of the bleachers, his Demons cap pulled down to his eyes, his lips pressed into a tight line.

The Edinburgh campus is not too far from liones, which means that my father only had to drive an hour from britannia to get here. But even if we had been playing for hours at a weekend game during the snowstorm of the century, I would still be on the ice. My old man never misses a game.

My great dad, hockey legend and proud father.

Yeah sure. bullshit.

I know fine well that he doesn't come to games to watch his son play. He comes to see how i play an extension of himself. He comes to see how the future Demon King of the ice plays.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I was fucking shit on the ice. What if I wasn't good at skating? Or shooting? What if i was scrawny with the coordination of a newborn deer on ice? Or if I had preferred art or music or chemical engineering?

He probably would have had a heart attack. Or maybe he would have convinced my mother to give me up for adoption.

I swallow the taste of bitterness and join my teammates.

block it out of your mind. He is not important. He is not here. It's what I tell myself every time I climb the fence and plant my skates on the ice. That man is nothing to me. He stopped being my father a long time ago.

The problem is that my mantra is not infallible. I can block him from my mind, yes, and he's not important to me, of course! But he IS here. He is always there ... Damn.

The second half is goes on the attack, desperate to avoid getting a 0. Cain attacks from the very first second, while Ban and Hollistry frantically to prevent the waves of attack that Edinburgh is doing to our plays. The sweat drips from my face and neck while my team is dealing with the attack. Edinburghs defense is a joke since they put there whole effort into attack so i easily get through. Ban fights with Monspeet behind me and emerges victorious. His pass connects with gil, who goes at lightning speed as he rushes towards the blue line. Gil passes the puck back to ban and the three of us fly to enemy territory where its three against two.

The puck flies in my direction and the roar of the crowd beats in my blood. Monspeet approaches quickly ready to attack; I'm in his sights, but I'm not stupid. I pass the puck to Gil, taking another hit from Monspeet while my teammate gets near the goalkeeper, faking that he is going to shoot, he passes the puck again and i get a direct shot at the goal.

My shot comes in with a buzz in the net and the timer stays at 0. We won 3-0 aginst Edinburgh.

Even the coach is in good spirits when we walk in line to the locker room after the game. The other team didn't get a goal passed us, we stopped the beast that is Monspeet and we've added a second victory to our record.

We are still at the beginning of the season, but all we see at this moment is ourselves as champions.

Ban drops down on the bench next to me and leans down to untie his skates.

"So what is the deal with your private teacher?" His tone is completely casual, but I know him well enough to know that there's nothing casual in that question.

"Ellie? What about her?"

"Is she single?"

The question catches me off guard. Ban is attracted to girls as thin as toothpicks and sweeter than sugar. Elizabeth, with her endless curves and her spitfire nature, doesn't fit any of those requirements.

"Yes," I say cautiously. "why?"

He shrugs. All casual again. And again, I see through him.

"She's hot". He pauses. "Are you bedding her?"

"nope. And neither will you. Her eyes are on some other asshole."

"They are together?"

"Naah."

"In that case she's fair game. You don't mind, right?"

I go stiff, just a little, and I don't think Ban notices. Luckily, Cain Barzad, our goalkeeper, heads towards us and ends the conversation.

I'm not sure I know why I'm suddenly so restless. I do not like Elizabeth in that sense, but the idea of her and Ban sleeping together makes me uncomfortable. Maybe because I know how much of a player Ban can be. I can't even count the number of times I've seen a girl do the walk of shame after coming out of his bedroom.

It pisses me off to imagine Elizabeth sneaking out of his room with her hair ruffled by sex and her lips swollen.

I don't expect it, but the truth is that I'm jealous. she keeps me on my toes all the time and last night when I heard her sing… WOW. I've heard the words "tonality" and "timbre" on that American Idol program, but I don't know shit about the technical aspects of singing. What I do know is that Elizabeth's torn voice gave me shivers.

I throw all the thoughts about Elizabeth from my head when I get to the showers. Everyone is in a rush for victory, but this is the part of the night that I fear. Win or lose, I know that my father will be waiting in the parking lot when we go to the teams bus.

I leave the stadium with damp hair from the shower and my hockey bag slung over my shoulder. And yup, my old man is there. Standing, near a row of cars, wearing his thick winter jacket with the zipper up to his neck and the cap covering his eyes. Ban and gil are at my side, still gloating about our victory, but the latter stops short when he sees my father.

"Are you going to say hey?" He whispers. The anxious sound of his voice doesn't go unnoticed. My teammates can't understand why the hell I don't let everyone know that my father is HIM, the demon king. They think that he's a god, which I suppose makes me a demigod from the luck of having been sired by him. When I first came to liones, they used to harass me for an autograph, but I made up the story that my father is extremely touchy with his privacy and, fortunately, that seemed to get them all to stop harassing me for autographs and introductions.

"No" I keep walking towards the bus and turn my head just as I pass by my old man.

Our eyes meet for a moment, and he nods.

Just a slight tilt of the head, and then he turns around and walks slowly towards his silver SUV.

It's the same routine as always. If we win, I get a nod. If we lose, I don't get anything.

When I was younger, if we lost, he at least pretended to be the compassionate father, a false smile of support or a pat of comfort on the back if someone looked at us. But at the moment we were alone, the farce was over.

I get on the bus with my teammates and breathe a sigh of relief when the driver leaves the parking lot, leaving my father in the rearview mirror.

Suddenly I realize that, depending on how the Ethics test goes, I might not even get to play next weekend. Undoubtedly, the old man will be anything but happy.

The good thing is that I don't give a shit what he thinks.


	10. Chapter 10

_**#Elizabeth**_

My mother calls me Sunday morning for our weekly phone call, something I've been looking forward to for days. It is unusual for us to have time to talk during the week, because i'm in class all day, rehearsing at night and sleeping when my mother finishes her night shift at the supermarket.

The worst thing about living in britannia is not being able to see my parents. I miss them a lot, but at the same time, I needed to get far, far away from that place.

I have only returned once since I finished high school and after that visit, we all agreed that it was best not to go home again. My uncles live in Philadelphia, so my parents and I flew there for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rest of the time I talk to them on the phone or, if I'm lucky, they save the necessary money and come to see me.

It is not the ideal situation, but they understand why I can't go home, and I not only understand why they can't go out, but I also know that i'm the reason. I also know that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to them.

"Hi dear." my mother's voice envelopes me like a warm hug.

"Hi Mom." I'm still in bed, curled up, wrapped in my comforter and looking at the ceiling.

"How did you do in the ethics exam?"

"I got a 10."

"That's wonderful! See, I told you you didn't have to worry."

"Trust me. Yes, I did. Half of the class failed." I turn to the side and rest the phone on my shoulder. "How is dad?"

"he's okay." she pauses. "He's doing overtime at the factory, but…"

My body tenses expecting what comes next

"But what?"

"But it doesn't look like we're going to be able to go to Aunt Nicole's house for Thanksgiving, baby."

The pain and the remorse in her voice cuts me like a knife. Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back. "You know we had to fix the leak in the roof and our savings have suffered because of that" says mom. "We don't have enough money for the plane tickets honey"

"can't you drive?" I ask without much conviction. "It's not too long a trip…" Only fifteen hours. It is not a long time at all.

"If we do that, your father will have to ask for days off and we can't afford to give up those hours."

I bite my lip to keep the tears at bay.

"Maybe I can help…" I quickly calculate how much savings I have. It's obvious that it's not enough for three plane tickets to Philadelphia.

But it is enough for a ticket to Ransom.

"I can fly home," I whisper.

"No." her answer is quick and sharp. "You don't have to do that, Elizabeth."

"It's just a weekend." I'm trying to convince myself, not her. Trying to ignore the panic that rises in my throat and chokes me when I think of going back there. "We don't have to go downtown or see anyone. I can just stay at home with you and dad."

There is another long pause.

"Is that what you really want? Because if so, we'll welcome you with open arms, you know that, honey. But if you're not one hundred percent comfortable with the idea, I want you to stay in Liones."

Comfortable?! I'm not sure I can feel comfortable in Ransom anymore. I was already a pariah before I left and the only time I visited, my father ended up in jail for assault. So the answer is "no," going home is about as tempting as cutting my arm off and throwing it to the wolves.

My silence, although brief, is all the answer that my mother needs.

"You're not coming back," she says sternly. "Dad and I would love to see you at Thanksgiving, but I'm not going to put my own happiness ahead of you, Elizabeth." Her voice breaks. "It is bad enough that we are still living in this god forsaken town. There's no reason for you to set foot here again."

Yes, there is no reason for me to do that ... except MY PARENTS. Yes, the people who raised me, who love me unconditionally, who were by my side while I went through the most horrible experience of my life.

And now they're stuck in a place where everyone despises them ... because of me.

God, I want to free them from that town. I feel guilty of being able to get out of there and, worse still, of leaving them behind. They want to move as soon as they can, but the real estate market is not so great right now, and with the second mortgage they got in order pay the attorneys' fees, they would be ruined if they tried to sell the house now. And although the refurbishing my father is doing will increase the value of the house, they are also taking money out of their own pockets in the process.

I swallow the lump in my throat, wishing with all my strength that the circumstances were different.

"I'll send you the money I have saved," I whisper. "So you can pay some of the mortgage."

That she doesn't outright refuse my offer tells me that they are in an even worse position than i originally thought.

"And if I win the scholarship for the concert," I add, "I'll be able to pay for the residence and the dining room next year so that you and dad don't have to worry about that at least"

I know that would help them even more; the scholarship they gave me for liones only covers tuition. My parents have been dealing with the other expenses.

"Elizabeth, I don't want you worrying about money. Your father and I will be fine, I promise. As soon as we finish the improvements at home, we will be in a much better position to sell it. And meanwhile, I want you to enjoy college, honey. Stop worrying about us and start focusing on yourself." His tone becomes cheerful. "Is there a new boyfriend that you want to tell me about?"

I smile to myself.

"no"

"Oh, come on, there has to be someone that interests you."

My cheeks get hot when I think of Arthur.

"Well… There is one. Let's see, we're not dating or anything, but seriously I wouldn't object if he wanted to take me out."

Mom laughs.

"Well, why don't you ask him out.

Why does everyone think that it would be so easy for me?

"Yeah, maybe. You know me, I like to take things slowly." Or, rather, I do not like to take them in any way. I have not had a single date since Mael and he left me last year.

Quickly change the subject.

"Tell me about that new manager you complained about in the last email. It seems that he's driving you crazy."

We chatted about my mother's cashier job for a while, although it hurts to hear her talk about it. She used to be a teacher in elementary school, but after my scandal, she was fired, and the bastards of the school system found a loophole to pay her the smallest compensation possible. Something that went directly to the pile of debt my family has though it barely made a dent.

Mama tells me about my father's new obsession with airplane models, tells me about our dog's antics and bores me with the details of the vegetable garden that she plans to plant in the spring. Something remarkably absent from the conversation is any mention of friends or dinners at the center or community events for which all small towns are known for. And that's because, just like me, my parents are also pariahs in town.

Unlike me, they didn't run away as if they had a firecracker in the ass.

In my defense I desperately needed a new beginning.

I wish they could have gotten one too.

When I hang up, I am caught between an immense joy and a deep sadness.

I love talking to my mother, but knowing that I'm not going to see her or dad in Thanksgiving makes me want to cry.

Fortunately, Diane comes to my room before I can succumb to the sadness and spend the rest of the day crying in bed.

"Hello," she says cheerfully. "Do you want to have breakfast in vanya? Gelda says we can take her car."

"Only if we go to any place that is not the black cat." There's nothing worse than eating in the place where you work, especially since most of the time Della bundles me to stay there to work a shift.

Diane snorts.

"There is no other place where you get breakfasts. But okay. Let's go to the dining room."

I jump out of the bed just as Diane throws herself on to it, stretching out on the comforter as I go to the dresser to get something to wear.

"Who were you talking to on the phone? Your mother?"

"Yeah" I slip a soft blue sweater over my head and stretch the bottom edge. "I'm not going to be able to see them at Thanksgiving."

"Oh, i'm so sorry, honey." Diane sits down. "Why do not you come to megadona with me?"

It's a tempting offer, but I promised my mother that I would send her money and I don't want to put my savings account to zero by spending it all on a train ticket and a weekend in megadona.

"I can't afford it," I reply sadly.

"What the fuck? I would pay for your ticket if I could, but I have no money since the trip to Mexico that King and I took in the spring."

"It's fine, I wouldn't let you to pay for me Anyway." I smile. "We'll be starving artists when we graduate, remember? We have to save every penny we can."

She sticks out her tongue at me.

"No way. We will be famous from the second we get out the door. You will sign a record contract for several albums and I will be the protagonist of a romantic comedy with Ryan Gosling, who, by the way, will fall madly in love with me. Then we will end up living in a house on Malibu beach."

"You and me?"

"No, Ryan and me! But you can come visit us. You know, when you're not out there hanging with Beyoncé and Lady Gaga."

I laugh.

"Your fantasies are ambitious."

"That is our future, you'll see."

I really hope so, especially for Diane.

honestly, I can perfectly imagine her as a protagonist in a romantic comedy. It's not that it's pretty like Angelina Jolie, but it's very cute, and like a breath of fresh air. she would be perfect in one of those romantic comedy roles. The only thing that worries me is ... well, she's too soft. My dear Diane is by far the most compassionate person I have ever met. she refused a free trip to the danafor theater program because she didn't want to go too far from her father who has multiple sclerosis and she wanted to be able to get to megadona anytime if he ever needed her.

Sometimes I'm afraid that Hollywood is going to eat her alive, but her strength is as big as her heart, and she's also the most ambitious person I've ever met, so if someone can make her dreams come true, It's Diane.

"I'll wash my face and brush my teeth and then we'll leave." I turn my head when I go to the door of my bedroom. "Are you going to be here tonight? I teach until six, but maybe later we could see some episodes of Mad Men."

She shakes her head.

"I'm having dinner with King. I'll probably stay at his place tonight.

A smile stretches my lips.

"So it's serious again, huh?" Diane and King have broken up three times since first year, but the two always seem to end up in each other's arms again.

"I think so," she admits as she follows me to the room we have in common. "We've both grown a lot since the last breakup. But I'm not thinking about the future. We're great right now and that is enough for me." she winks at me. "That and that the incredibly fantastic sex doesn't hurt."

I draw strength for another smile but, deep down, I can't help but wonder what that would be like. The fantastic sex part that is.

My sex life has not been exactly shooting stars, searing heat and fireworks. It has been fear, anger and years of therapy and, when I was finally ready to try my luck on the subject of sex, it certainly didn't work out as I hoped. Two years after the rape, I slept with a first-year student I met at a coffee shop in Phili when I was visiting my aunt's house. We spent the whole summer together, but the sex was clumsy and lacking in passion and to be frank dull. At first I thought maybe there was just no chemistry between us ... until the same thing happened with Mael.

Mael and I had enough chemistry to set a room ablaze. I spent eight months with him, feeling a crazy attraction for him, but no matter how hard he tried; I couldn't get there ... I wasn't able to reach orgasm with him.

I get shamefaced and feel like shit when thinking about the subject. And it's even more humiliating when I remember how frustrating everything was for Mael. He tried to please me. And boy, did he try… And it's not that I can't have orgasms on my own, because I can. Perfectly. But i couldn't make it happen with Mael, and over time he got tired of putting in so much effort but not seeing any results.

So he left me.

I don't blame him. It must be a pretty strong blow to your masculinity when your girlfriend doesn't enjoy the sex life you give her.

"hey, you're as pale as ghost." Diane's worried tone gives me a shake and brings me back to the present. "You good?"

"Yeah, yeah i'm fine. Sorry my mind took a walk there for a moment.

Her blue gaze softens.

"You're really upset about not being able to see your parents for Thanksgiving, aren't you?"

I quickly grab on to what she says go with it.

"It's just that. It's bullshit." I manage to shrug my shoulders. "But I'll see them at Christmas. At least, that's something."

"It's not something, it's everything," she says firmly. "Now go get pretty, baby. I'll have coffee waiting when you get back."

"you are the best friend in the world."

She smiles.

"Just for saying that, I'm going to split a donut with you as well."


	11. Chapter 11

_**#Meliodas**_

Elizabeth arrives around five with a thick parka with a fur hood and bright red gloves. The last time I looked, there wasn't a snowflake on the ground, but now I'm wondering if it's possible that I fell asleep and there was a snowstorm during my nap.

"Did you come from Alaska?" I ask as she unzips the bulky parka.

"No" she sighs "I'm wearing my winter coat because I couldn't find my other one. I thought maybe I had left it here." she says looking around my bedroom. "But, I guess not. damn I hope I didn't leave it in the music room. I know that one of those first year girls would steal it, I love that coat."

I chuckle.

"What's your excuse for gloves?"

"cold hands." She cocks her head. "What is your excuse for the ice pack?"

Suddenly I realize that I'm still holding a bag of ice to my side, right where the giant body of Monspeet crashed against me. Elizabeth lets out a strangled cry when I lift my shirt and show her the purple circle the size of a fist.

"Oh God! that happened to you in the game?"

"Yeah." I slide out of bed and go to my desk to pick up my Ethics books. edinburgh has the Incredible Hulk on their team.

"I can not believe you expose your body to this voluntarily," she says in amazement. "It can't be worth it, can it?"

"Yes, it's worth it. Trust me. A few scratches and bruises are nothing compared to the thrill of being on the ice." I look at her. "Do you know how to skate?"

"Not much. Let's see, I've skated. But usually i just have to go in circles around the rink. I've never had to take a stick and go chasing a puck."

" Is that what you think hockey is? I ask with a smile. Take a stick and chase a puck?"

"Of course not. I know that it requires a good number of different skills and that it is very intense for the players " she admits. "And it's intense for the viewers"

she sits on the edge of the bed and tilts her head curiously.

" Have you always wanted to play? Or is it something your father forced on you?"

I tense up.

"What makes you think that?

elizabeth shrugs.

"Someone told me that your father is something like a hockey superstar. I know there are many parents out there who force their children to follow in their footsteps."

My shoulders get even stiffer. I'm surprised that she didn't bring up the subject of my father before, but I'm also surprised at how insightful she is. Nobody has asked me before if I really enjoy playing hockey. They just assume that I should love it because my father played it.

"He got me into it," I confess, my voice husky. "I've been skating since before I started elementary school, but I kept playing because I love it."

"That's good," she says quietly. "I think it's important to do what you love."

I'm afraid she's going to ask more questions about my father, so I clear my throat and change the subject.

"So what philosopher are we starting today? Hobbes or Locke?"

"You choose. Both are boring."

I laugh.

"Nice way to put it Ellie!"

But she is right. The next hour is brutal and not just because the theories are overwhelmingly boring. I've a huge hole in my stomach because I fell asleep during the lunch hour, but I refuse to end the lesson until I've mastered the topics. The last time I studied for the partial, I focused only on the main points, but Elizabeth makes me analyze every detail. It also forces me to reformulate each theory, which, I've to admit, helps my understanding of all this convoluted shit we're studying.

Once everything's went over, Elizabeth asks me questions about everything we have read in recent days and, when she's satisfied to see that I know things, she closes the textbook and nods her head.

" Tomorrow we will begin to apply the theories to real ethical dilemmas."

"Sounds good. "My stomach complains to such a volume that it practically shakes the walls. I wince.

She snorts. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving. Gil is the one who cooks at home, but tonight has gone. so I was going to order a pizza. Do you want to stay? We could eat a little pizza and watch a movie or something?"

She seems surprised by the invitation. It also surprises me but, honestly, I wouldn't mind having company. Ban and the others have gone to a party, but I wasn't in the mood to go with them. I've read all the topics of the classes that had to be read and I've nothing to do tonight.

"What do you want to watch?" she asks cautiously.

I point to the stack of Blu-Rays next to my television.

"ban just bought all the seasons of Breaking Bad. i've really wanted to see it, but I never have time."

" Is that the series about the heroin dealer?"

"Meth manufacturer. I heard it's the best."

Elizabeth runs her fingers through her hair. She seems reluctant to stay, but equally reluctant to leave.

" What else do you have to do tonight?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says sadly. "My roommate is going to spend the night at her boyfriend's house, so I was going to watch some movies at home"

"Well, do it here." I lower my cell phone. "What do you want on your pizza?"

"Eh ... mushroom. And onion. And green pepper."

"Basically all the boring ingredients out there, right?" I shake my head. "Let's ask for bacon, sausages and extra cheese."

"Why did you bother asking me what I want if you're not going to ask for any of it?"

"Because I expected you to have better taste."

"I'm sorry the vegetables are boring, Meliodas. Let me know when you catch scurvy, okay?"

"Scurvy is a deficiency of vitamin C. The pizzas don't carry sunlight or oranges, honey."

In the end, I give in and order two pizzas, one with Elizabeth's boring ingredients and the other topped with meat and cheese. I cover the side of the phone and look at her.

"Diet Coke?"

"What? Do I look like a freak? Normal Coke, please."

I chuckle as I place the order, and then I put on the first Breaking Bad disc. We're twenty minutes into the first episode when the doorbell rings.

"wow. The fastest pizza delivery man in history" says elizabeth.

My stomach doesn't protest the least. I go downstairs and pay for the food. Then I spend a moment in the kitchen to get the roll of kitchen paper and a bottle of Bud Light from the fridge. At the last second, I pick up an extra bottle in case elizabeth wants one.

But when I offer it to her in the room, she firmly denies with a shake of her head.

"No thanks."

"What, are you too wound up to take a beer?"

Discomfort shines in her eyes.

"I don't drink much, okay?"

I shrug my shoulders and open my beer; I give it a good swig as Elizabeth rips a piece of paper from the roll and pulls out a sticky piece of vegetable covered pizza from the box.

We settled on the bed to eat, none of us talk when I hit the play again. The pilot episode is amazing and Elizabeth doesn't object when I click on the next one.

There is a woman in my room and neither of us is naked. It's strange. But cool. We don't talk much during the episode, we are too absorbed by what happens on the screen but as soon as the second episode ends, Elizabeth turns to me and opens her mouth.

"Oh, God, can you imagine not knowing that your husband manufactures meth? Poor Skylar."

"she will undoubtedly find out."

Elizabeth snorts.

"Hey, no spoilers!"

"It's not a spoiler," I protest. "It is a guess. Relax."

"OK OK."

I've already destroyed my pizza, but Elizabeth only eats half, so I steal a piece and take a bite.

"Ohhhh, look who's eating my boring pizza! That's what I call being a hypocrite."

"It's not my fault you don't eat a lot, Ellie. I can't allow the food to go to waste."

" I've ate four pieces!"

"Yes, the truth is that that makes you a total glutton compared to the girls I know. The most they eat is half a plate of salad, honestly."

"That's because they need to stay thin as sticks so that guys like you find them attractive."

" There is nothing attractive about a woman who is only skin and bones."

"Yeah, sure"

I look up and shake my head.

"I can honestly say that I prefer them with curves. " I swallow the last bite before i take another piece. "A man likes to have something to hold on to when he's ... you know." i wiggle my eyebrows in her direction. "it works both ways. Let's see, don't you prefer to sleep with a guy with muscles than with some skinny guy?"

She snorts.

" Is this the moment when I congratulate you for being great?"

" Do you think I'm great? Thank you love."

"No, YOU think you're great." She purses her lips. "But I guess you're right. I'm not attracted to scrawny boys."

"Then I suppose that your Loverboy is built like dwayne johnson."

She sighs.

"Could you stop calling him that?

"no." He thought pensively. "I'll be honest. I don't know what you see in him."

"Why? Because he's not the 'campus superman?' Because he is serious and intelligent and not a womanizer?"

Shit, I suppose the character that Arthur has created has done a number on her. If he had a hat, he would probably tilt him as he has successfully created a character that makes women go crazy: the nerd athlete.

"Pendragon is not what he seems," I say brusquely. "I know he seems to be an intelligent and mysterious sportsman, but there's something ... fishy about him."

"I don't think he's fishy at all," she contradicts me.

"Of course, you say it because you've had a lot of deep and intense conversations with him." I laugh. "Trust me. What he does is theater."

"We have different opinions." Smile. "Anyway, you are not in a position to judge who is interesting or not. As far as I know, you only go with hollow heads."

I return the smile.

"You're wrong."

"really?"

"Yip. I only fuck hollow heads. I don't go out with them."

she pauses, curiosity etched on her face. "How come you don't go out with them? I'm sure all the girls in this university would kill to be your girlfriend."

"I'm not looking for a relationship."

That leaves her perplexed.

"Why not? Relationships can be very rewarding."

" Says the woman who is alone …"

"I'm alone because I've not found anyone that I connect well with, not because i'm anti-relationships. It's cool to have someone to spend time with. You know, talk, give affection, all those sweet things. You don't want that?"

"Sometime. But not now." I lose my arrogant smile. "If I ever need to talk to someone, I've got you."

" So your hollow heads are the ones that get sex and I'm the one who has to listen to your bullshit? "Shake your head". I feel like I got the short end of the stick there"

I lift my eyebrows.

"ohh, do you want sex too, Ellie? For you, i'm happy to do it"

Her cheeks become the most intense red I've ever seen in my life and I laugh.

"hey. I'm kidding. I'm not so stupid as to throw myself at my teacher. I would break your heart and to get revenge you would teach me shit that's wrong and i would end up failing"

"Again," she corrects me with a smile. "You would fail the partial AGAIN."

I play with the ring on my finger, but I smile while I do it.

" Do you have to go now or want to watch episode three?"

"Episode Three. Definitely."

We get comfortable in bed again: I sit, with my head on three pillows, and Elizabeth on her stomach at the foot of the bed. The next episode is intense and, once it's over, we're both anxious to see the next one. Before I knew it, we finished with the first disc and have to put the second one in. Between each episode, we talked about what we just saw and speculated on what is going to happen and, honestly, I've not had such a good time with a female friend in ... well, EVER.

"I think his brother-in-law knows it's him"reflects Elizabeth.

" Are you kidding? I bet they keep it until the end then reveal it. However, I think Skylar is going to find out soon."

"I hope he gets divorced. Walter White is the devil. Seriously. I hate him."

I laugh.

"he's an anti hero. he's there for you to hate him."

The next episode begins and we shut up immediately because this is the kind of series that requires all our attention. When I went to change the disc i realize, we've reached the end of the season, which ends with a scene that leaves us with eyes wide open.

"Shit," I exclaim. "We've finished the first season."

Elizabeth bites her lip and looks at the alarm clock. It's almost ten. We've seen seven episodes without even going to the bathroom.

I suppose she's going to announce that it's time to go, but instead, she sighs.

" You have the second season?"

I can't control my laughter.

" Do you want to keep watching?"

"After that end? obviously!"

She's right.

"At least the first episode," she says. "don't you want to see what happens?"

Of course I want to, that's why I don't mind when she gets up and puts in the next disc.

" Do you want a snack? "I offer.

"sure."

"I'll see what there is."

I find two bags of microwave popcorn in the kitchen cupboard, I heat both of them and go upstairs with two bowls of popcorn in my hands.

Elizabeth has stolen my spot; Her silvery smooth hair is spread by my pile of pillows and her legs are stretched out. Her red and black polka dot socks make me smile. I've noticed that she never wears designer clothes like most of the girls in this uni, or the slutty party clothes that I see in fraternity houses or in campus bars on weekends . Ellie goes skinny jeans, leggings and jerseys tight to her chest, something that might look elegant if she didn't always mix it with things of some brilliant color.

Like the socks, or the gloves, or those extravagant hairpins that take away her long, silvery bangs.

"Is one of those for me?" she gestures to the bowls I hold.

"Yeah"

I hand her one, she sits down and puts her hand inside; then she lets out a giggle.

"I can't eat popcorn without thinking of Napoleon."

"The emperor?"

she laughs even louder.

"No, my dog. Well, my family's dog. He's back home with my parents."

"What kind of dog is it?

"A huge pooch mixed with a few races, but mostly he looks like a German shepherd."

" Does Napoleon like popcorn?" I ask politely. She smiles. "We've had him since he was a puppy. Once, I was about ten years old, my parents took me to the movies and while we were away, he went into the pantry and managed to break a box full of microwave popcorn packages. There would be about fifty or so in there. My mother is obsessed with offers, so if there is a good discount at the supermarket, she goes and buys the entire shelf of any product that is marked down. I guess that month it was the popcorn. Incredibly the dog ate each and every packet, including packaging. He was shitting whole grains of corn and pieces of paper for days.

I laugh.

" My father was nervous " she continues ". He thought Napoleon would have food poisoning or something like that, but the vet said nothing was wrong and everything would work out eventually." she pauses. "Do you have a pet?"

"No, but my grandparents had a pig when I was a kid. His name was Hawk and he was like a fucking goat. " I put a handful of popcorn in my mouth and laugh while I chew. "He was very affectionate with me and my mother, but deeply detested my father. Something that is not surprising, I suppose. My grandparents also hated him. But, fuck, the pig terrified the bastard."

Elizabeth smiles.

"What did he do?"

"bit him whenever he could, he shit in his shoes ... that kind of thing." I suddenly laugh. "Oh, do you know the best thing he did once? It was Thanksgiving night and we were at my grandparents' house; We are all gathered at the table about to eat when Hawk comes through the door. Just behind the house was a ravine that he used to spin around, when he escaped from the pen. Well, the point is that the pig enters the house with something in its mouth, but none of us can see what it is."

"Oh my God. I don't like where this is going."

I smile so hard it hurts.

"Hawk walks through the house, he goes to my father's place and suddenly he dumps a dead rabbit in my father's lap."

Elizabeth gives a choked cry.

"Seriously? Gross!"

"My grandfather almost pisses himself laughing right there and my grandmother goes crazy and my father ... "My good mood vanishes when I remember the expression on my old man's face. "Lets just say he didn't like it very much."

There goes the understatement of the year. A chill runs down my spine when I remember what happened when we returned to home a few days later. What he did to my mother as punishment for "embarrassing" him, I heard him accuse her during his burst of anger.

The only good thing that happened is that mom died a year later. she was no longer there to witness how he began to take his anger out on me, and I thank god for it all the days of my life.

Beside me, Elizabeth is also melancholy.

"I'm not going to see my parents for Thanksgiving."

I watch her and analyze her face. It is evident that she is distressed and her confession in a low voice distracts me from the shattering memories that squeeze my chest.

"Do you usually go to your house?"

"No, let's go to my aunt's house for all the parties, but this year my parents can't afford it and I ... I can't afford to go to them."

I notice a false point in the last thing she says, but I can't think of what she may be lying about.

"No big deal," she murmurs when she sees compassion on my face. "There's always Christmas, right?"

I nod, although for me, there are no parties. I would prefer to cut my wrists before going home and spending the holidays with my father.

I put the bowl of my popcorn on the bedside table and pick up the remote control.

"up for the second season?" I ask in a casual tone. The conversation has become too deep and I'm dying to get out of there and something tells me that Elizabeth feels the same.

"Go ahead!"

This time I sit next to her, but there is half a meter between us. It's amazing how much I'm enjoying this situation. Being with a girl without having to worry about how I'm going to get rid of her or that she will start making demands that I don't want to agree to.

We see the first episode of the second season, and then the next, and the next ... and the next thing I know is that it's three in the morning.

"Shit, is that time already?" Says Elizabeth. While asking the question, a huge yawn covers her entire face.

I rub my tired eyes, unable to understand how it's gotten so late without either of us noticing. We have seen, more nor less, a season and a half of a series in a single binge session.

"Shit," I murmur. "I can't believe it's so late." she yawns again, which causes me to yawn as well. We're both sitting there in the dark in my room (I don't remember turning off the light), yawning like two people who have not slept in months. The situation makes me want to laugh.

"I've to go. She stands up brusquely from the bed and runs her hands through her hair. Where is my cell phone? I'm going to call a taxi.

My next yawn almost split my jaw.

"I can take you," I say sleepily as I leave the mattress.

"No way. You've had two beers."

" Hours ago " i object. "I can drive perfectly."

"no"

Exasperation over takes me.

"I'm not going to let you take a fucking cab and walk around the campus at three in the morning. Either I'll take you, or you'll stay here."

she startles.

"I don't plan to stay here."

"Then I'll take you. End of discussion."

Her gaze goes to Bud's two bottles on the nightstand. I can see her reluctance, but I also see her exhaustion in the expression on her face. After a moment, her shoulders fall and she lets out a sigh.

"Okay, but i'm sleeping on the couch."

I quickly shake my head.

"no. It is better that you sleep here."

I must have said something inappropriate, because her body tenses like a tight-rope.

"I'm not sleeping in your room."

"I live with three hockey players, Ellie, who by the way, have not yet returned home after a night of partying. I'm NOT saying it's going to happen, but there's a possibility that if they come in drunk and see you on the couch they might decide it's a good idea to feel you up. I, on the other hand, have no interest in groping you." I nod toward my bed. "Seven people can sleep in this bed easily. You won't even know I'm there."

"You know? a gentleman would offer to sleep on the floor."

"Do i act like a gentleman?"

she laughs at that.

"no." There is a moment of silence. "OK, I'll sleep here. But only because I can't keep my eyes open and I don't want to wait for a taxi."

I go to my dresser.

" Do you want something to sleep in? A T-shirt? sweatpants?

" A shirt would be fine." Even in the dark, I can see the blush on her cheeks. "Do you have a toothbrush to spare?"

"Yes. In the cabinet under the sink." I give her one of my old shirts and she disappears in to the bathroom.

I take off my shirt and jeans and climb to my bed in my underpants. Just after i get comfortable Elizabeth returns to the room; her bare feet gently hitting the wooden floor.

" Do you want to get in bed already?" I growl. "I don't bite. And even if I did, I'm half asleep. So stop looking at me like that and get in."

The mattress sinks slightly when she climbs the bed. I feel a pull on the comforter, a whisper and a sigh and finally she's lying next to me. Well, not exactly; she is on the other side of the bed, no doubt clutching the edge of the mattress to avoid falling. I'm too tired to make a sarcastic comment, so before I close my eyes again, I just babble:

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight" she replies.

A few seconds later, the world is gone for me.


End file.
